The governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu on Wednesday denied reports making the round that South East governors and Igbo leaders of the People Democratic Party (PDP) extraction were against the nomination of former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi as the running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for 2019 presidential election.
Ikpeazu who was answering questions from journalists at the Governor’s lodge located in Aba, the commercial hub of the state when Obi paid a condolence visit to him and the people of Abia State over the pipeline explosion in Osisioma Ngwa which has reportedly claimed over a hundred lives, said it was wrong for anyone to claim that the governors of the South East were against Obi’s nomination.
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 will queue behind considering his pedigree.
He said: “You were told a lie. Let me use this opportunity to congratulate our brother and a worthy son of Igbo Land for his nomination. He’s a gift from Ndi-Igbo to this country. His works and pedigree bear 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 tete-a-tete with us. And he said he will come to speak with us.
“There were no time leaders of Ndi-Igbo and South East Governors said we are not happy. His choice was apt and you can see the widespread reception it is getting. If we are banking on the eleven million Igbos in the diaspora to vote it is only Mr. Peter Obi that can get them to do so.”
Also speaking, the chairman of the South East caucus of the National Assembly and senator representing Abia South Senatorial District in the Senate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe said that Peter Obi’s selection is one that has lifted the spirit of every Igbo person and has no opposition from any angle.
“As the chairman of South East Senate caucus of the National Assembly that 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 him. Because today, Nigeria needs men and women who their yes is their yes and no is 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, Mr.. Peter 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 has 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, all the three PDP governors I’ve spoken with them.
“I have spoken to Senator Ike Ekweremmadu, one of our leaders. Of course, Senator Abaribe is here with me. I’ve spoken with all of them including T. A Orji and Sam Egwu. For us, we are going to work as 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.”
Ikpeazu who was answering questions from journalists at the Governor’s lodge located in Aba, the commercial hub of the state when Obi paid a condolence visit to him and the people of Abia State over the pipeline explosion in Osisioma Ngwa which has reportedly claimed over a hundred lives, said it was wrong for anyone to claim that the governors of the South East were against Obi’s nomination.
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 will queue behind considering his pedigree.
He said: “You were told a lie. Let me use this opportunity to congratulate our brother and a worthy son of Igbo Land for his nomination. He’s a gift from Ndi-Igbo to this country. His works and pedigree bear 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 tete-a-tete with us. And he said he will come to speak with us.
“There were no time leaders of Ndi-Igbo and South East Governors said we are not happy. His choice was apt and you can see the widespread reception it is getting. If we are banking on the eleven million Igbos in the diaspora to vote it is only Mr. Peter Obi that can get them to do so.”
Also speaking, the chairman of the South East caucus of the National Assembly and senator representing Abia South Senatorial District in the Senate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe said that Peter Obi’s selection is one that has lifted the spirit of every Igbo person and has no opposition from any angle.
“As the chairman of South East Senate caucus of the National Assembly that 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 him. Because today, Nigeria needs men and women who their yes is their yes and no is 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, Mr.. Peter 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 has 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, all the three PDP governors I’ve spoken with them.
“I have spoken to Senator Ike Ekweremmadu, one of our leaders. Of course, Senator Abaribe is here with me. I’ve spoken with all of them including T. A Orji and Sam Egwu. For us, we are going to work as 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.”
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