Abia 2023 Controversy: Ukwa la Ngwa, Abia North in Fierce fireworks · Allow Me to Concentrate and Deliver More Projects to Abians, Ikpeazu Pleads

As the struggle for who succeeds Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State in 2023 gathers momentum, different political groups in the state are jostling and laying claim to being the rightful successor of the incumbent Governor, despite the fact that he still has almost two more years to stay in office.

Reacting to the development, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has expressed deep concern at the current exchange of political brickbats by politicians and groups over who succeeds him in 2023, describing such exchanges as unnecessary, premature and capable of distracting his administration.

He made it abundantly clear to all that he is still in charge of the State and will not be stampeded out of office by people who want to alter the natural order of things. 

In a statement signed and made available by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ikpeazu, Sir Onyebuchi Emenenka, he said that whereas the Governor appreciates the rights of persons and groups to canvass their political ideas and preferences he observed that timing is critical in these permutations and that there could only be one Governor at any particular time.

However, while reminding Abians that it is God that anoints leaders. he assured that when the time is right, his successor would emerge through a peaceful process of consensus and justice, involving all interest groups in the State.

He further disclosed that his preoccupation now is how to continue to deliver more people-oriented infrastructural projects for the people of Abia State, strengthen trade and commerce and keep the people safe, noting that the question of who succeeds him is definitely not what he is thinking about at the moment. This is because “if I start in June 2021 to think about my successor in 2023 and begin to hold meetings on the issue, it will be difficult for me to concentrate again and do my work” he said.

He appealed to politicians not to allow their rhetoric about 2023 threaten the peace and tranquillity that the State is currently enjoying.

It would be recalled that few days ago, a group known as, Ukwa La Ngwa leaders had vowed to Produce Governor Ikpeazu’s successor.

Ukwa La Ngwa which comprises of nine local government areas of Aba-North, Aba-South, Isialangwa-North, Isialangwa-South, Obingwa, Osisioma, Ugwunagbo, Ukwa-East and Ukwa-West of Abia State has insisted that they must produce the next governor of Abia State.

According to a communique which they issued at the end of their meeting held at Okpuala Ngwa and signed by their representatives, the group stated “that the People of Ukwa La Ngwa remain conscious of the indisputable fact and truth that Abia State is basically made up of two different geo-political zones, Old Aba Division and Old Bende Division. That the good people of Ukwa La Ngwa, in pursuit of Justice, Equity and Fairness, knowing that the People of Old Bende have governed the State for an unbroken Sixteen Years, 1999 to 2015, unequivocally demand and insist that they will also Govern for Sixteen Consecutive Years, that is from 2015 to 2031”

The group in the communiqué also said that, “by virtue of Justice, Equity and Fairness, the People of Ukwa La Ngwa will collectively and ceaselessly work for the democratic enthronement of Abia State Governor of Ukwa La Ngwa Extraction, in 2023”

The group further “warned that no Ukwa La Ngwa Son, Daughter or Wife will dare accept the position of a governorship running-mate in any Political Party for 2023 election.

“They called on all politicians in Ukwa La Ngwa to ensure that whatever political party they belong to, zones its governorship ticket to them.

“They also mandated all Sons, Daughters and Wives of Ukwa La Ngwa to do everything democratically possible to make sure that this collective objective of the People of Ukwa La Ngwa is seamlessly concertized and achieved.

“The group also passed a vote of confidence on Dr Okezie Ikpeazu led government in Abia State, that they are proud of the uncommon achievements of their Son and State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, Ph. D, who according to them has performed since he emerged as Governor in 2015, despite many attempts that were made to distract him from governance through a multiplicity of litigation’s against him at various Election Tribunals, stand Unequalled since the creation of Abia State”

In response to the positions of Ukwa la Ngwa leaders, the people of Abia North held stakeholders town hall meeting at Udumeze hall, Elu Ohafia ,Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia state, on the 30th of June 2021, and  unanimously 

commended “the Abia state Governor Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu for his laudable achievements, especially in the area of infrastructural upgrade of Aba the commercial nerve centre of the state and the entire state and that we are steadfast in our support for him, which we have demonstrated twice in 2015 and 2019”

they resolved that, “standing on the provisions of the 1999 constitution as amended, we maintain that the Governorship seat has always rotated in Abia state within the three senatorial zones just as it is obtainable in the 36 states of the federation and that the former Governors have always ensured it is adhered to.

The stakeholders stressed that, ” we are not privy to any other rotational pattern other than the Senatorial arrangement and will not subscribe to any strange and primordial zoning arrangement that is neither constitutional nor known to law.

“That as always, we are unshaken in our resolve that as a matter of equity, justice and fairness that power should return to Abia North by 2023, having patiently waited for 16 years in order to allow her sister senatorial zones to take their turn.

The Abia North stakeholders underlined, “that Abia state Governorship has never been determined by money, threats, intimidation and the use of the instrumentality of the power and influence of the state Government and her agencies and employees.

The communique stated that, “we are therefore bemused by a recent communiqué released by purported Ukwa La Ngwa Elders Council, wherein they sought to dishonour an agreement they reached with Ndi Abia North on the 5th of March 2019 that they will support Abia North In 2023 after Dr. Ikpeazu.

They pointed out, “that It on record that apart from the agreement reached with the powerful delegation sent by Ukwa la Ngwa Elders, that the crème de la crème of the traditional rulers from Ukwa Ngwa extraction also sent a delegation to Abia North Traditional Rulers where the same agreement was reached that they will support Abia North in 2023 once Governor Ikpeazu is Supported to complete his tenure.

“That as Peace loving people and Honourable men, we as well as the Traditional Rulers from Abia North upheld our part of that Agreement and expects our brothers and Elders from Ukwa La Ngwa to be Honourable enough to stand by their word so that the bond will not be broken.

They frowned at,” the politics of grandstanding, confrontation, blackmail, threat and intimidation as vividly expressed in that said “Ukwa La Ngwa leaders” recent press release, is mundane and that the dangers and implication of attempting to violate the natural flow of equity against conscience and peace will not do anyone any good.