Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
As governorship candidates in Abia State continue their consultations with interest groups and political blocs ahead of electioneering for 2023 general election, Abiriba community in Aba has thrown its weight behind the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof Uche Ikonne.
They declared their “total support” during a consultative meeting with the ruling party’s gubernatorial standard bearer at the Aba home of the Pro-chancellor of Abia State University Uturu (ABSU), Chief Mba Okonkwo.
Spokesman of the indigenes of the ancient Kingdom of Abiriba residing in Aba, Okwodu Egworonu Obasi, said the PDP governorship hopeful has unique academic and leadership experience needed to pilot the affairs of Abia State.
He assured Ikonne that the Abiriba people were determined in their support for him to deliver more dividends of democracy to the community and Abia State in general.
“Your attributes and achievements as a scholar, administrator, technocrat and bureaucrat have stood you head of your peers,” he told Ikonne.
Obasi noted that his people have keenly followed Prof Ikonne’s trajectory as an academic and his stint at the Abia State Polytechnic up to being the vice chancellor of Abia State University.
According to him, “An objective examination of (Ikonne) odyssey through all these paths erases any doubt about his competence to lead the state to its next height.
“You are simply the best candidate in the race, and Abiriba people associate only with the best.”
The spokesman also lauded the good relationship existing between Abiriba community in Aba and their Ngwa hosts, adding that as widely travelled merchants Ndi Abiriba have always cultivated brotherly relationships with their hosts.
Ikonne, in his response, acknowledged the support from Ndi Abiriba, and assured them that their partnership would not only be mutually beneficial but also lead to rapid development of the state.
The PDP governorship candidate, who was accompanied by his running mate, Hon Okey Igwe, and the Director-General of Uche Ndi Abia Campaign Organisation, Hon Chinedum Elechi, promised to remove all obstacles affecting ease of doing business.
“I am not new to working with Abiriba people for the good of the state, and when elected as your governor, I assure you that we will further expand the frontiers of cooperation and partnership between us to deliver positive change to our people across board,” he stated.
