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From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Dr. Eme Okoro, the immediate- past Secretary to State Government (SSG), Abia State, has called on Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, to personally address Abians on the alleged plot to impeach his Deputy, Sir. Ude Oko Chukwu.
This is even as Okoro advised that a former deputy governor of the state, and in-law to Ikpeazu, Acho Nwakanma should be cautioned.
Okoro, leader of Abia North People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders had on Monday warned against the alleged plot against Oko Chukwu.
In a statement, the former SSG said that Ikpeazu’s response through his Chief Press Secretary (CPS) exonerating himself from the alleged impeachment plot was not convincing enough.
He explained that the seriousness of the matter demanded the Governor addressing it himself to dounce the growing tension and not leaving it to his media aide.
“The tension in the state makes it a little more mandatory for my Governor to speak to Abia people that he has no plans to impeach his Deputy.
“He ought to elevate it to a level of peace-making. I know him very well that if he wants to dounce tension, he can say: ‘my people I have no plans to impeach my Deputy’; and not to send somebody to speak for him.”
Ikpeazu had in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Onyebuchi Ememanka, said there was “no substance in such rumor as he has no such plans and has never discussed any such issue with anyone.”
Okoro who claimed he played key role in Ikpeazu’s emergence as governor in 2015 based on power rotation arrangement as contained in Abia Charter of Equity, urged Ikpeazu to allow power return to Abia North in line with the prevailing zoning arrangement in the state.
Meanwhile, the former SSG has accused the former Deputy Governor, and Ikpeazu’s in-law, Nwakanma, of colonising and ill-advising the Governor despite opposing Ikpeazu’s governorship bid in 2015.
He threatened to make shocking revelations that “will make all smell dirty”, if the proponents of anti- Charter of Equity pressed him to the wall.
“This Nwakanma refused to allow this Governor Ikpeazu to run in 2015 when himself was the Deputy Governor and also wanted to run.
“If the Governor says I’m lying, he should challenge me. Ikpeazu knows that Nwakanma didn’t want him to be Governor in 2015 despite being his brother in-law but today he is the greatest beneficiary of Ikpeazu’s Government.
“A man who was Deputy Governor wanted to be Governor and he told us that he would not agree, and he did not agree until he was defeated at the primaries.
“They shouldn’t let me open up the pot… If they let me, they will all smell dirty. All I’m saying is: let there be peace. If Ude Oko Chukwu wants to run, he should be allowed to run.”
Dr Okoro warned lawmakers especially those from Abia North against acceding to any financial inducement to axe out the Deputy Governor on trumped-up charges.
The former SSG said he led a delegation of elders to plead with the Governor to allow power shift to Abia North in the spirit of Abia Charter of Equity but expressed concern that the governor’s silence is creating confusion.
On why he believed the Governor had annointed Uche Ikonne as his successor as been alleged, Okoro said, “It’s on social media; if the Governor doesn’t say anything, silence in some cases can become support”.
He re-enacted an earlier warning by the former Senate President, Senator Adolphus Wabara that PDP would lose Abia in 2023 if it allowed another Ngwa man to fly its governorship flag.
“Senator Wabara saw tomorrow. Some of our governorship aspirants from Abia North are dumping PDP. If the swell increases and the tempo of disagreement bubbles into fracas, how will PDP win in 2023? If we do the wrong zoning how can we win?”
Dr Okoro who doubles as the Spokesman of Abia North PDP stakeholders said that no one person should be allowed to decided the next Governor.
Dr Okoro challenged Abia elders to rise and speak truth to power instead of allowing selfish politicians to truncate power rotation arrangement based on senatorial zones.
