‘Abaribe’s 2023 Guber Ambition Not Known to Abia PDP’

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Despite the reported declarations by some politicians to vie for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State, the party has stated that it is not aware of such ambitions.

The state PDP chairman, Hon Asiforo Okere, made this known yesterday while briefing journalists after the executive council meeting of the party, saying the party was still waiting for aspirants to come forward and make their aspirations known to it.

No fewer than three persons have publicly expressed interest to become the standard-bearer of the state PDP in the 2023 elections namely: the Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe; founder/chancellor of Greg University Uturu, Professor Greg Ibe, and Mr. Ncheta Omerekpe.

But Okere insisted that the party has no record of Abaribe’s expressed ambition or that of any other aspirant for that matter, adding that no aspirant has so far emerged for any elective position on the platform of PDP.

He stated that even with the heightening tension over the zoning of the governorship ticket of the state PDP, the party was not ready yet to make known its position on the issue.

According to the state PDP chairman, “We encourage all aspirants to continue with consultations until the party makes a pronouncement.”

However, he stated that the party leadership would wait for the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) to release the timetable for the 2023 election and party primaries before taking a decision on the zoning of the governorship seat

Okere said: “We want to be sure when the party primaries and the general election will be held, and at the appropriate time, the structure of the party will make a pronouncement.”

He said the decision-making strata of the party-State Executive Council, State Working Committee, State Caucus, and the Elders Committee- would all make inputs before the party could arrive at a decision on which zone would get the governorship ticket.

Okere, who emerged as the state PDP chairman in August 2020, said he has been committed to his vision of strengthening Abia State PDP “as never before and to recover all lost legislative seats at the state and national levels.

“We are not relenting; we are forging ahead,” he said, adding that the state party leadership would soon embark on local government tours “to assess the strength of our party at the grassroots.”

The ruling party chairman expressed confidence that PDP would retain the governorship seat in the state, as, according to him, the party has performed well at all levels.