Ikpeazu says he can only provide guidance and counsel, and not impose a candidate on the Abia PDP as he believes in party supremacy.
Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has pledged to ensure that the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerges through the decision of the party.
Ikpeazu made the declaration at a meeting of leaders of the Abia State PDP held on Wednesday 16 March 2022 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.
PDP leaders, in turn, commended “the decision of the State Governor that the leadership of the Party and all the ward chapters will participate in charting a direction towards the emergence of a worthy flag bearer.
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Governor Ikpeazu told the party executives that he benefitted from the decision of the party twice and would not stand in the way of the party in exercising a similar choice for his successor.
Ikpeazu stated: “I affirm that the choice of the people and the party is my choice. I am a democrat brought up and elevated by the choice and decision of our party members. You are the ones to make the choice. I can only provide guidance and counsel. I respect the supremacy of the party and the voice of the majority.”
Abia State Chairman of the PDP Rt.Hon. Alwell Asiforo Okere, PhD and State Secretary Barr Iro David disclosed the decisions in a communique issued on Wednesday in Umuahia.
Participants at the meeting were members of the state working committee, state executive committee members, local government executive committee members of the party and principal officers of the one hundred and eighty-four (184) wards in the State.
Ikpeazu’s declaration comes as party faithful and other stakeholders in Abia State politics await his direction or lean towards a successor as his tenure ends in May 2023.
The Abia PDP leaders pledged to work harmoniously and “mobilise all Party resources to work for the success of our Party’s candidate at the general election come 2023”.
The PDP leaders also passed a vote of confidence on Governor Ikpeazu “for his giant strides in the state”. Those strides include “outstanding improvements in Foreign Direct Investments as captured by the records of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS)” and “for his ability to make Abia State the West African hub for Small and Medium Enterprises”.