By Chijindu Emeruwa, Abia.

Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the Secretary-General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has lauded the decision of the Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, to seek the mandate of the people for effective representation at the Nigerian senate in the forthcoming general election in 2023.

This is the sequel to the emergence of the Abia governor as the standard-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Abia South Senatorial district seat in the recently-conducted national Assembly primary elections held across the three Senatorial districts of the state.

Recall that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu had on 24th May 2022 picked the ticket of Peoples Democratic Party ticket to contest for Abia South Senatorial district seat in the 2023 general election.

He emerged unopposed as the party’s candidate at the Enyimba International S ln my stadium, Aba.

Ndidi Okereke, the Returning Officer, announced the result and said 198 delegates were accredited for the exercise.

He disclosed that Ikpeazu scored a total of 198 votes and emerged unopposed as the winner of the primary election.

However, while addressing journalists AAnday, in Umuahia, the Abia state capital, Mr Isiguzoro, who hailed from Ukwa/Ngwa extraction in Abia South Senatorial district of the state, confided that the governor would live up to the expectations, as he noted with satisfaction that Ikpeazu garnered the requisite capacity, ability, competence and expertise to offer effective and responsive representation at the upper legislative arm of the National Assembly come 2023, pointing out at the ongoing establishment of Enyimba Economic City Aba, massive construction and rehabilitation of urban and rural areas across the seventy local government areas of Abia state, promotion of Small and Medium Enterprise, through made-Aba products that has remarkably impacted many livelihoods, offered and facilitated state and federal jobs to teeming unemployed indigent youths, men and women from Abia state, upgrading and building of health delivery facilities at the three senatorial districts, the regular payment of salaries and entitlements to civil servants and pensioners, building of school class block across primary and secondary schools and among many others.

The Secretary-General maintained that it’s yet time for Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe to leave the leadership scene as he has done his best in complementing the efforts of the Executive arm of government in deepening democracy in the state through the attraction and provision of critical federal projects to the state, noting also that with these landmark achievements recorded by the governor, it’s not in doubt that the state governor, if given another chance in 2023, will end an era of poor representation and legislative redundancy in Abia South Senatorial zone, and concentrate in providing conducive environment for economy and Infrastructure to thrive in the district.

Isiguzoro hinged its earlier call for Senator Abaribe to step aside from the senate, is to allow Governor Ikpeazu to also bring his wealth of experience and expertise, towards evolving policies and programs to change the fortunes of Abia south senatorial district in the days ahead, reiterating also that Ikpeazu stands tall among other candidates to effectively and responsively sponsor bills and make laws that will strengthen the security architecture of Abia central, an entire state, southeast, and country, and as well as, redouble the efforts of all relevant stakeholders to address the worsening insecurity in the localities.

According to the Ohanaeze chieftain, “it’s obvious that Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe has stayed in the upper legislative chamber for the past sixteen years, and we believe he has done his best and should allow others to take the shot at the senate, in as much as he is vested with rights and power as a Nigerian citizen to stand for an election, we are saying he has overstayed in the senate, and enough has not to be achieved, he should withdraw from the race and support Ikpeazu to consolidate most of his strides and as well, attract and provide more developmental amenities to improve livelihoods in Abia South Senatorial district”.

He applauded the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party and its teeming members cum delegates across the wards and local government areas that formed the current Abia south senatorial zone, for finding Governor Ikpeazu fit to speak on behalf of them in the Senate come 2023, reassuring that Ohanaeze would continue to interface with patriotic Igbo sons and daughters to enthrone the needed leadership at all strata of the southeast region and for the good of people in the region.

Meanwhile, the Abia South Senatorial standard-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party for the 2023 general election and Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, thanked the party leadership, and lauded the conduct of the election which he described as “clean and transparent”.

He reiterated his readiness to come up with policies and programs that will foster the transformation of Abia’s south senatorial district in the days ahead.

Ikpeazu also promised to deliver quality representation and protect the interest of the people, if he emerged the winner in the 2023 Senatorial election.