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From Idu Jude Abuja
The Labour Party presidential candidate, Dr. Amb Sunday Chibuzo Okereke, has called on voters in Abia State to support the party’s candidates across all elective positions in the 2027 general elections, saying coordinated representation at the federal and state levels would be important to sustaining the development agenda of Governor Otti’s administration.
Okereke made the call during a solidarity roadshow in Arochukwu Kingdom, Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State, where he rallied supporters behind Governor Otti and other Labour Party candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
The presidential candidate used the occasion to endorse and mobilise support for Otti, who is the national leader of the Labour Party and a key figure in the party’s efforts to rebuild and strengthen its political structure.
Okereke also called for support for the Labour Party’s Abia North Senatorial candidate, Chief Dr. David Ogba Onuoha Bourdex, the party’s candidate for the Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency, Hon. Ibe Okwara Osonwa, the candidate for Arochukwu State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Uchenna Okoro, and other Labour Party candidates across Abia State.
The appeal underscores the 2027 contest as a coordinated ballot, with Okereke urging supporters not to stop at the governorship election but to vote for Labour candidates seeking legislative offices across the state.
Speaking on the sidelines of the rally, Okereke said the gathering was primarily organised to appreciate Governor Otti for what he described as his administration’s development efforts in Abia State.
According to him, Abia has attracted attention beyond the state because of the changes taking place under Gov. Otti’s administration.
He said the rally was also intended to demonstrate solidarity with Gov.v Otti for his role in strengthening the Labour Party and supporting the emergence of a younger generation of leadership within the party.
Okereke said he believed the experience in Abia could provide lessons for governance at the national level.
“I have spent years studying systems and designing systems and governance architecture, supporting institutional design and framework,” he said, explaining his motivation for seeking the presidency.
The Labour presidential candidate said his campaign was centred on demonstrating how governance could be approached differently, arguing that political leadership should ultimately improve the socioeconomic conditions of citizens, drawing inspiration from Gov Otti’s leadership excellence and example.
He said democracy should not merely be about elections but should translate into tangible improvements in people’s lives. In Abia State, Gov Otti, through his developmental strides, has increased the happiness index and human development index of Abians from zero to 98%.
“Democracy must deliver happiness to the Nigerian people. Democracy must improve the lives of people,” Okereke said.
He further urged Nigerians to take greater interest in political participation, arguing that elected representatives at the federal, state and local levels make decisions that affect citizens’ everyday lives.
Okereke specifically encouraged eligible Nigerians to participate in the electoral process and obtain their Permanent Voter Cards where necessary.
He said political participation should not be left to a small group of people, stressing that citizens should have a voice in determining who represents them.
The presidential candidate also linked economic development to political participation, arguing that political decisions influence the environment in which economic activities take place.
A major focus of Okereke’s message in Arochukwu was the need for Labour Party supporters to vote across the ballot.
He argued that supporting a governor without supporting legislators from the same political platform could make it more difficult to implement a consistent development programme.
According to him, if Abians want to sustain what they consider positive developments under Governor Otti, they should also consider supporting Labour candidates seeking seats in the National Assembly and Abia State House of Assembly.
He therefore urged voters to “go all the way” with Labour Party candidates in the 2027 elections.
His appeal covered the party’s senatorial, House of Representatives and State Assembly candidates, including Bourdex, Osonwa and Uchenna Okoro.
Okereke’s argument was that political representation at different levels should work together rather than operate as disconnected components.
The Labour Party has been positioning itself for the 2027 elections in Abia with Otti at the centre of its state-level political structure. On key policies, Okereke maintained that Nigeria must function as a federation, ensure the local government system is working, introduce the zero-based budgeting technique, full reset of Nigeria’s institutional governance approach anchored on the Nigerians First Vision, youth and women development through inclusion and participatory governance, expansion of Nigeria’s definition of Federal Character away from just ethnicity to diversity to include youth, women, PWDs, etc and ultimately ending palliative and distributive economy to full productive economy.
The Traditional Ruler of the Arochukwu Kingdom, His Eminence, Dr. Eberechukwu Oji, Eze Aro IX, prayed for the presidential candidate and wished him well in his campaign. The monarch also urged the candidate to uphold due process and respect for the rule of law throughout the campaign, stressing the importance of conducting himself in a manner that would not undermine the dignity, values, and respect cherished by the people of Arochukwu. He further advised the candidate to ensure that his actions and conduct reflect the high regard in which the Arochukwu people hold their traditional institutions, customs, and community.
