* Victory, a product of hard work, equity, says Ikpeazu
Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that its victory in the Aba North/South Federal Constituency by-election had firmly established its superiority, particularly over the All Progressives Congress (APC), not only in Abia State and the South-east geo-political zone, but also across the country.
This is coming as Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has welcomed the resounding victory of the PDP in the by-election, describing it as “a clear vindication” of his efforts to transform the commercial city.
The PDP said the fact that it defeated the boastful APC and its rejected candidate with 10,322 votes against a paltry 3,674 was a direct confirmation that the APC had no foothold in the South-east, insisting that its bragging of having penetrated the region was an empty hype.
A statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said that indeed, the party’s resounding defeat of the APC in Aba, a major commercial and social hub and the nerve centre of the south-east, had further established the South-east as an undisputed stronghold of the PDP.
The party further said that the outcome of this election served as a foretaste of the crushing defeat that awaits the APC in the zone, come 2023.
Moreover, it said that the sweeping victory by the PDP over the APC, in an area like Aba, had further shown that the people of the South-east and Nigerians in general, were no longer carried away by the lies, deceit, falsehood and empty promises of the APC, a party, which it said had brought so much pain and anguish to the nation.
Meanwhile, Abia State governor, Ikpeazu has described the victory as “a clear vindication” of his efforts to transform the commercial city.
Voters in Aba North and Aba South had at the weekend cast their ballots in favour of the PDP candidate, Hon. Chimaobi Ebisike, who polled 10,322 votes to beat his closest rival, Mr. Mascot Uzor Kalu of the APC, who got 3,674 votes.
In declaring the poll result, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s Returning Officer, Professor Fidelis Okpata of the Federal University, Ndufu Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State, said that Destiny Nwagwu received 1, 554 votes while the candidate of Action Alliance, Mr. Okey Prestige scored 199 votes.
Ikpeazu had during the campaigns appealed to Aba residents to reciprocate his infrastructural transformation of Enyimba City and also elect an Aba indigene to the House of Representatives for the first time since 1999.
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Onyebuchi Ememanka, the governor noted that the by-election was “a first-hand opportunity for the people of Aba to pass judgment on the efforts of his administration in rebuilding the broken walls of the Enyimba City.
“For all intents and purposes, this election was more appropriately, a referendum by the people of Aba on our work in the city. Our government has invested lots of effort in providing critical infrastructure in Aba and it is heartwarming to see that indeed, the people truly appreciate our efforts,” he added.
Alluding to the election of non-indigenes of Aba over the years to represent the federal constituency, Ikpeazu said that Ebisike’s victory “is also a clear message that our people detest injustice”.
According to him, it was gratifying that the residents of the cosmopolitan city of Aba “completely endorsed our message that it was only just, fair and proper to give the aborigines of Aba an opportunity to represent their own people at the National Assembly for the first time in 22 years of our democracy”.
Ikpeazu congratulated the House of Representatives member-elect, Ebisike and urged him to see his victory, first as God’s plan for his life and then as an opportunity to offer dedicated and selfless service to his own people.
