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From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Contrary to rumour which made the rounds last week that one of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) G-5 governors, Okezie Ikpeazu, had reconciled with the national leadership of the party, the governor was conspicuously absent at the presidential rally of the PDP in Umuahia yesterday, therefore putting paid to the rumour.
Ikpeazu’s absence may not be unconnected with the decision of the G5 Governors not to support the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar until Iyorchia Ayu steps down as national chairman of the party.
However, members of the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party, Chairman PDP BoT, Adolphus Wabara, Senator Theodore Ahamefule Orji, (chairman Atiku/Okowa PCC Southeast), National Chairman of the PDP, Sen. Ayu, Deputy Governor of the state, Ude Oko Chukwu, the Speaker Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Chinedum Orji and other notable personalities in the state, were in attendance.
Some officials of the state government were equally absent from the rally, giving indication that the rift between the national leadership of the party and the aggrieved G5 governors would not end soonest.
Unlike what happened when Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike handed the former guber candidate of the party, late Prof Uche Ikonne the flag, it was, however, the national chairman who handed the flag to the new governorship candidate, Okey Ahiwe, this time around.
Speaking at the event, Atiku Abubakar, who claimed that Nigerians were better off under the PDP, disclosed that he has set aside $10bilion for the development of the southeast region.
On some of the requests made by the party in the state to include reactivation of two rail lines from Port Harcourt-Aba-Enugu-Maidugri, rehabilitation of Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene road, Umuahia-Ohafia-Arochukwu-Akwa Ibom, Ikot Ekpene-Aba-Port Harcourt roads, Enyimba Economic Hub, Abia Dry Port, among other demands, Atiku sai: “PDP is going to win, therefore, it is better that you are on a winning team than on a ticket that cannot take you anywhere.
“I, therefore, will appeal to you not to be distracted by other political parties who may be playing either religious or ethnic card.
“In PDP, we don’t play ethnic cards, we play a Nigerian card; a card that will bring everybody onboard and a card that will give the people from every part of the country regardless of their region or religion, a sense of belonging. I appeal to Abia people to make sure that you remain in the PDP.
“My deputy has announced that we are going to set aside $10billion to make sure that we support businesses particularly in this part of the country (southeast)”.
The state chairman of the party, Asiforo Allwell Okere, assured that the PDP in the state would deliver all the candidates of the party in the state, including the president and his deputy come February 25 and March 11 presidential, governorship and assembly elections.
