Ikpeazu: South-East PDP leaders not against Obi’s nomination as Atiku’s running mate

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has said that the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-East are not against the nomination of Mr. Peter Obi as the running mate to the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for 2019 presidential election.
Ikpeazu spoke at the Abia State Governor’s Lodge in Aba when Obi, on behalf of Atiku, paid a condolence visit to him and the people of Abia State over the pipeline explosion in Osisioma.
Ikpeazu said there was no truth in the report that governors and leaders of the party in the zone were against Obi.
He described Obi as a worthy son of Igbo land and a gift from Ndi-Igbo to Nigeria whom every Igbo man both at home and in the Diaspora will queue behind considering his pedigree.
According to Ikpeazu, “You were told a lie by whatever report you heard, let me use this opportunity to congratulate our brother and a worthy son of Igbo land for his nomination.
“He is a gift from Ndi-Igbo to this country. His works and pedigree bears eloquent testimony of the Igbo DNA.
“It will be foolhardy for anybody not to queue behind a man like this to continue to serve this country to the best of his ability. What the South-East governors said was that we expect our candidate to come back from his trip and have a tete-a-tete with us. And he said he will come to speak with us.
“There were no time leaders of Ndi-Igbo and South-East Governors said we are not happy. His choice was apt and you can see the wide spread reception it is getting. If we are banking on the eleven million Igbos in the diaspora to vote, it is only Mr. Peter Obi that can get them to do so”.
Speaking on his nomination and the alleged opposition from South-East governors and PDP leaders, Obi said,
“We in the South-East have never been divided and we have never acted against each other.
“We have always acted as a team. The governors and the leaders are my own leaders. Since this wrong insinuation started, I’ve consulted with Governors Umahi, Ugwuanyi and of course today I’m here with my brother Ikpeazu. All the three PDP governors I’ve spoken with them.
“I’ve spoken to Senator Ike Ekweremmadu, one of our leaders. Of course Senator Abaribe is here with me. I’ve spoken with all of them including T. A Orji and Sam Egwu. For us, we are going to work like a team. For us, what is important is to rebuild Nigeria and rebuild the South East”.
He said what was needed was for everybody to work together to create jobs and make Nigeria better, stressing that they have always acted as a team and that it was an opportunity for them to come out and vote massively for the PDP.