…As He Tasks Ngwa Elders To “Tell Your Sons Our Agreement In 2014”
As politicians in Abia State ponder which senatorial zone will produce the next governor of the state that will succeed Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in 2023, a university don and proprietor of Gregory University, Uturu (GUU), Abia State, Prof Greg Ibe has said that the issue of Abia North producing the next chief executive of the state in 2023 is a foregone conclusion.
Speaking with newsman at his country home, Uturu, Ibe said he will contest the governorship seat of Abia State in 2023 and explained that the rotation principle of the state as enshrined in the Abia Charter of Equity is sacrosanct.
Ibe added that those who drafted the Abia Charter of Equity did not mince words when they inserted a clause that says that vital positions in the state, such as the exalted position of a governor, should rotate amongst the three senatorial districts.
The university proprietor contended that the seat was first held by Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North 1999-2007), TA Orji (Abia Central 2007-2015) before the incumbent, Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia South 2015-2023), stressing that equity demands that by the reason of the circle being completed, the rotation will start all over again by power returning to the North in 2023; 16 years after it domiciled in Abia Central and Abia South districts respectively.
Ibe wondered why any politician from any zone would express interest in contesting for the governorship seat come 2023, adding that as a patriotic citizen of Abia State and one from Abia North, he wholeheartedly conceded to the request to withdraw when he was approached on 7th December 2014 by ex-Gov Theodore Orji and later some elders and leaders from Ngwa land.
This, he said was to give easy access to an Ngwa son from Abia South to emerge without stress.
The university proprietor said, “I was approached and I conceded and stepped down. I was asked to wait. The Ngwa elders and leaders are still alive today and I ask myself, why are they not talking to their sons and daughters on what transpired? They should speak now”.
“Even in 2019, some elders came to me and ask me not to contest against Gov Ikpeazu and I agreed, I’m surprised some people from there are singing a different tune now, forgetting that there was an agreement reached.
“I’m not prepared to withdraw for anybody this time around. You won’t tell me to step down again. I have all it takes to contest. I’m the highest individual investor in Abia State today and the way this thing works, people will like to invest in the state where an investor is heading.
“We’ll take the plunge. Abia North is prepared to follow and abide by the principles and letters of the Abia State Charter of Equity. And in the North, we have the Bende bloc and the Isuikwuato-Uturu/Umunneochi bloc.
“Bende has had their turn and the next should be Isuikwuato-Uturu/Umunneochi bloc. Our platform is the PDP. I’ve been in PDP since 1999 and I can’t leave it for any other party.
I’m coming with a comprehensive development package; a package that will lead to the accelerated development of Abia State”, he assured.
