South-East governors not against Peter Obi’s candidacy – Ikpeazu
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Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has denied reports making the rounds that South-East governors and leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the region, are against the nomination of Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State, as the running mate of Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the PDP at 2019 presidential election.
Ikpeazu, who was fielding questions from journalists in Aba, when Peter Obi paid a condolence visit to him and the people of Abia State, over the pipeline explosion in Osisioma Ngwa, which claimed so many lives, explained that it was a blatant lie for anyone to claim that the governors of the South-East region are against Obi.
He described Obi as a worthy son of Igbo land and a gift from Ndi-Igbo to Nigeria, whom every Igbo man both at home and in the Diaspora, would queue behind, considering his pedigree.
According to Ikpeazu, “You were told a lie. Let me use this opportunity to congratulate our brother and a worthy son of Igboland, on his nomination. He’s a gift from Ndi-Igbo to this country. His works and pedigree bears eloquent testimony of the Igbo DNA.
“It will be foolhardy for anybody not to queue behind a man like this to continue to serve this country, to the best of his ability. What the South East governors said was that we expect our candidate to come back from his trip and have a chat with us. And he said he will come to speak with us, as soon as he returns home.
“There was no time that leaders of Ndi-Igbo and South-East Governors said we are not happy. His choice was apt and you can see the wide spread reception it is getting. If we are banking on the eleven million Igbos in the Diaspora to vote, it is only Peter Obi that can get them to do so”.
Enyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia South senatorial zone in the enate and chairman, South-East caucus of the National Assembly, stated that Peter Obi’s selection has lifted the spirit of every Igbo person and so has no opposition from any angle.
“As the chairman of South East Senate caucus of the National Assembly, the whole National Assembly is behind Peter Obi and at no time was there any problem about his nomination, as running mate to our presidential candidate.
“We know that ourselves, the governors forum and everybody in the South-East are all in support of his selection, because today, Nigeria needs men and women, who their yes is their yes and no is their no. “We need people, who will not see subsidy and call it under recovery. We need people, who will not say that they’ve defeated Boko Haram and they turn around and keep executing Red Cross Workers. Today, what we have is somebody we can all queue behind to rescue Nigeria. Let me say it without equivocation that all Igbo leaders are queuing behind Peter Obi.”
Meanwhile, Obi, while speaking during his condolence visit urged Abia people to take heart. He consoled the locals and made personal donations to the affected people.
Speaking on his nomination and the perceived opposition from South-East, Obi said, “We in the South- East have never been divided and we have never acted against each other.
“We have always acted as a team. The governors and the leaders are my own leaders. Since this wrong insinuation started, I’ve consulted governor Umahi, Ugwuanyi and of course today I’m here with my brother Ikpeazu. I have spoken to all the three PDP governors in the region.
“I’ve spoken to Ike Ekweremmadu, deputy senate president, who is one of our leaders and of course Abaribe, is here with me. I’ve spoken with all of them including Theodore Orji and Sam Egwu. For us, we are going to work like a team. For us what is important is to rebuild Nigeria and rebuild the South East.
“What we need is to create jobs and make Nigeria better. We have always acted as a team. It is an opportunity for us to come out and vote massively for the PDP. We must put all hands on deck to get this mission accomplished”.
GODFREY OFURUM, Aba