2023 Guber: Uche Ogah, the best product that is acceptable to Abia populaces, no more election of leaders on party basis – PDP group

By Chijindu Emeruwa

A pressure group in the fold of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia state, Voices of Justice & Equity Forum, (VJEF), has described the Honorable Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development and leader of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Abia, Dr. Uche Sampson Ogah (OON), as the best material with electoral value to succeed Governor Okezie Ikpeazu come 2023.

This is even as the PDP group, advised the Abia governor to, as a matter of continuity and consolidation on numerous developmental strides recorded by his administration, should rally around Dr. Ogah, as he has continued to demonstrate uncommon and sterling leadership qualities since on assumption of office as Federal Minister.

In a press statement jointly signed by its President, Dr. Cosmos Nwadinobi, and Publicity Secretary, Chief Ndubuisi Nwanganga, and issued to NEWS PURVEYOR in Umuahia, on Sunday, the PDP forum, posited that Dr. Ogah has the capacity, ability and expertise, and competence to consolidate on the laudable strides achieved by the Incumbent Governor, and as well, address other teething challenges impeding the socio-economic and Infrastructural development of Abia state, adding that time is now for Abia people to jettison party backgrounds and allow people with electoral values, visions, and development-oriented manifestos to rewrite the narratives in the governance of the state.

The forum regretted that the culture of choosing or electing leaders based on party affiliations or leanings had never helped in the development of the state, and also lamented that Abia has not fared much better in all indices of governance of the Abia state.

The VJEF also expressed implicit confidence in the ability of Ogah to find an end, to the myriads of challenges, ranging from decadence in Infrastructure, the decline in the education sector, dilapidated roads, high rate of unemployment, lack of functional and equipped health centers, and unemployment, insisting that successive governments in Abia state have failed to revitalize moribund industries and other amenities built by Late Dr. M. I Okpara and Late Chief Sam Mbakwe of the blessed memory, and sourced from agriculture produce.

The PDP group further stated emphatically that it will storm Abuja, to appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on the Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, to heed to the yearnings and clarion calls of the people of Abia, to join the forthcoming 2023 Abia gubernatorial race ahead of the main general elections in the country.

The forum maintained that the state and her people are pleased to have Dr. Ogah as true Abia’s son, and have also okayed him to run for the governorship contest come 2023, aimed at enhancing the development of all sectors of Abia’s economy.

According to the VJEF, “time is now we(citizens) must rise above party backgrounds and leanings in choosing people that will lead us and also take the state to greater height and path of progress. We, Voices of Justice &, Equity Forum, a socio-political group in Abia PDP, have commenced mobilization and sensitization across party boards to ensure that Dr. Uche Ogah is prevailed on to join the gubernatorial race, and we will collectively work for his anticipated victory in the upcoming 2023 elections. It is obvious and undoubtedly that the current mood and yearnings of the people of Abia today is the enthronement of good governance, structured on formulation and implementation of developmental policies and projects. We must not elect leaders based on party affiliations, it has not helped in our course to achieve a stable Abia. We should look at the track records and antecedents of those who want the electorates to entrust them with our mandate. We must, at this juncture, want to unequivocally frown this attitude of bringing incapable hands-on political offices, which is one of the major problems compounding the challenges being faced by the state. Because, most of them, self stying themselves as “Leaders” lack visions and requisite ideas, dynamism, resourcefulness, and pragmatism to approach the pertinent issues hindering Abia state and her people in tackling those challenges headlong.

Continuing, the PDP forum also applauded Governor Ikpeazu for putting in his best, on the overwhelming desire of people of the state to see his administration bequeathing an economically and Infrastructurally stable Abia, as well as, turning the God’s State into a new destination and largest hub for local and foreign business investments, particularly in the area of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SME).

The forum further stressed that in as much as the state government has made appreciable efforts in the development of critical Infrastructure, enough needed to be done to give Abia facelifts, with effective and stable security architecture tilted at tackling any form of criminalities that rear head in any part of the state. And we are saying that Dr. Ogah is the best product that is acceptable to the generality of millions of Abia populaces”.

The PDP group further lauded the harmonious relationship between the present Government of Abia state and federal government, likewise in the previous era, both governments had frosty relationships that denied the state meaningful federal presence in the area of project execution. Dr. Uche Ogah’s politics of no bitterness and rancor have significantly fostered economic and political stability in Abia, as well, as the attraction of life-touching Social Investment and Empowerment Programmes, which have continued to impact positively in the lives of many youths, men, and women in the state.

Asked about fears of being disciplined by the Abia chapter of the PDP over her unanimous endorsement of the APC chieftain, Dr. Uche Sampson Ogah, for the 2023 governorship seat of the state, the southeast political forum, laughed off such action by the party leadership, and further added that its position regarding the numerous calls on the Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, to join the guber race by patriotic and well-meaning Abia sons and daughters at home and diaspora, is hinged on true democratic ideology and principles, solely tilted at deepening democracy in Abia state, that will usher in economic prosperity and growth.

The PDP forum also disclosed that it has commenced sensitization of party faithful and supporters, and as well, political leaders and members in other registered political parties to join the train in asking Dr. Uche Sampson Ogah, to run for the seat of Abia Governor in the forthcoming elections, while admonishing all eligible citizens of the state to visit any designated INEC points or units for registration and revalidation of Permanent Voters Card (PVC) to enable them to elect credible and right leaders that will work for the development of Abia and the general populaces in the state