Ikpeazu absent as Atiku holds rally in Abia

The governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu was on yesterday conspicuously absent at the campaign rally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, at the Umuahia Township Stadium, in the state capital. The governor was represented by his Deputy, Ude Oko Chukwu at the event which had members of the State Working Committee (SWC), Chairman PDP BoT, Adolphus Wabara, Senator Theodore Ahamefule Orji, Chairman Atiku/Okowa PCC Southeast, National chairman of the PDP, Sen. Iyiorcha Ayu, Speaker Abia State House of Assembly, Chinedum Orji and other notable personalities in the state in attendance.

Some officials of the state government were equally absent from the rally, giving indication that the rift between the national leadership of the party and the aggrieved G5 governors may be the reason for the governor’s absence. Speaking at the event, Atiku Abubakar disclosed that he will set aside $10bilion for the development of the southeast region. “I therefore will appeal to you not to be distracted by other political parties who may be playing either religious or ethnic card. I appeal to Abia people to make sure that you remain in the PDP. I have seen a number of request that you people made here and I want to say that they are all legitimate and they fall within our policy which we tagged our covenant with Nigerians.”

The National chairman of the party, Sen. Iyiorcha Ayu, in an obvious jab at the G5 governors, said no single individual or group of individuals can distabilize the party. “Let me assure you that when we formed this party in 1998, this party had prominent participation by Igbo sons. Our leader was Dr. Alex Ekwueme. The Igbos played a key role. I want the younger generation of Igbo people to come forward and show leadership. The southeast needs outstanding leaders who will engage the rest of Nigeria and bring benefit to their people.

“Voting Labour Party will not help you. You will be marginalize you for the next eight years to 16 years. The only party that is available for you is the PDP which is an organic party and party of the people. PDP is the only party that no individual owns. It is the party owned by the people and will work for the people. Therefore, no single individual or group or individuals can distabilize the party because it is owned by the people and that is why we call it Peoples Democratic Party. This is the only party that will give you victory and make sure that you achieve the development goals that you desire.

The chairman of Atiku/Okowa campaign in the southeast who is the immediate past governor of the state, Sen. Theodore Ahamefule Orji described Atiku Abubakar as a marketable product that doesn’t need too much marketing. Former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, assured that Atiku would release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) within 100 days of becoming president.

Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has described as tissues of lies claims by the Director-General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council in the state, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, that he sponsored assassination attempt against him. The governor declared that he had never and would not indulge in any act of sponsoring assassins against anybody insisting to that the campaigner of the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, told a lie. Wike spoke at the Rivers East Senatorial District rally of the state PDP that held at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt on yesterday.

“Justice Kayode Eso, retired justice of the Supreme Court of blessed memory, in a judicial panel report, indicted Abiye Sekibo as the head of cultists that killed so many people in Rivers State”, he said. The governor insisted that it was also not true the allegation of burning down the venue that had been graciously approved by his administration for the PDP Presidential Campaign Council to hold its presidential rally. He said: “So, we granted approval for the candidate (presidential) of the party to hold their rally at Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium. I do know that if you go there today, no stadium has been burnt. And so it is impossible for anybody to say somebody’s life was attempted and then the place was burnt down. It is not correct.” Addressing the crowd, Wike said the senatorial campaign rally was in furtherance to the ongoing efforts to mobilising party members and Rivers voters to keep faith with the state PDP.

(TNT)