Four governorship candidates defect to Abia PDP, declare support for Ikpeazu

Four governorship candidates in Abia State have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and declared support for the party’s governorship candidate, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, in the April 11 polls.
The four governorship candidates are Mrs Ifeoma Okpara, Citizens Popular Party (CPP), Prince Sunday Isaac, People for Democratic Change (PDC), Dan Onyeonagu, KOWA Party and Independent Democrat (ID), Gilbert Chikezie.
According to them, their decision to adopt Ikpeazu was borne out of interest of the state.
“Having considered the political situation in the state, we thought it wise that it is for the best interest of the state that we step down as governorship candidates in the forthcoming governorship election in the state, shelve our political interests and adopt the governorship candidate of PDP, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, as our candidate in the election.
“This our collective decision is to salvage our state from an impending political mishap before it is too late. We must rescue our state from those who think that Abia is for sale. So, Abians should rise to this challenge with us to save the state from backwardness,” Onyeonagu said.
The decisions of the four governorship candidates, according to Onyeonagu, were based on the fact that the positive transformation of the state shall be sustained.
“That Aba as the commercial hub of our state shall be fully developed to serve as a spring board to all parts of the state and that all women, youths and people with disabilities should be economically empowered, that greater efforts should be invested in agriculture and the rural areas roads and links to major cities, more jobs should be created for Abians, and more resources should be invested into security to protect lives and property”.
Responding on behalf of the Abia State PDP Campaign Organisation, Mr. Longman Nwachukwu thanked the four governorship candidates for embracing the PDP.
Meanwhile, the village heads of Ofeme Autonomous Community have expressed their gratitude to Ikpeazu.
The village heads, after their meeting in the palace of the traditional ruler of Ofeme, Eze Elijah Udoka, stated that they were overwhelmed with joy receiving the support and assistance Ikpeazu gave for the restoration of their electricity.
Speaking on behalf of the village heads, the Prime Minister of Ofeme, High Chief Michael Ibebunjo, said “it is first of its kind to be remembered by someone who is far away from Umuahia, and we assure our total support on what the PDP governorship candidate is seeking for”.