Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has urged gubernatorial candidates of politcal parties in the state not to distract the Governor-elect, Dr Alex Otti, with court cases.
Ikpeazu said this on Wednesday in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Onyebuchi Ememanka, in Umuahia.
He called on the people of Abia and members of political parties in the state to give the Governor-elect an enabling environment to run the affairs of state from May 29.
According to him, having myself spent about three and a half years in different courts and having experienced first hand, the distraction such cases can cause a leader, “I appeal to every candidate in this election not to distract the incoming administration with court cases, so that they will settle down and deal with the very demanding business of governance.
“Let us break this negative trend of subjecting our governors to endless litigations and allow them to concentrate on providing good governance.”
The governor commended Otti for his doggedness, adding that he fought a long battle over a very long period of time and deserves commendation for his staying power and resilience.
Ikpeazu said: “Since we have come to the logical end of this battle, it is appropriate to congratulate the winner, Dr Alex Otti, on his hard fought victory.
“In every battle, there will always be a winner and in the spirit of sportsmanship and love for our state, the Governor-elect must see his victory as a higher call to service to the people of Abia State.”
He congratulated other candidates who took part in the election, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate, Chief Okey Ahiwe, for their doggedness.
Ikpeazu expressed his resolve to put in place every necessary measure to ensure a seamless transition from the present administration to the incoming administration.
He thanked the people of Abia for casting their votes in a very peaceful atmosphere and reminded them that peace remains very critical in the quest for sustainable development.
Ikpeazu charged the people of Abia to give the incoming governor the necessary support that will enable him to succeed.
He prayed God to bless and guide the Governor-elect and assured the people of Abia that he would continue to discharge his duties as governor until May 29 when he would hand over to the new governor.
