A socio-political group, the Abia League of Professionals Initiatives (ALPI), has rejected the preferred governorship candidate of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and his anointed candidates for other elective positions.
The group, in a press statement issued on Monday and made available to The New Diplomat said Ikpeazu has exhibited series of poor judgment in nearly all the economic, socio-political decisions he took in his spell as the Governor of Abia State, hence he cannot be trusted to take the decision of who emerge as the next governor of the state for the next four years.
Recently, a former Vice-Chancellor of the Abia State University, Uturu, Prof. Uche Ikonne, believed to be the preferred candidate of Ikpeazu had emerged as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 general elections.
He reportedly polled 468 votes to defeat five other contestants in the exercise that took place at the Umuahia Township Stadium on Wednesday, May 25, 2022.
However, the ALPI has rejected the preferred governorship candidate of Ikpeazu, urging the electorate in the state to not “be swayed or persuaded by short term money politics, and short-term financial inducements by voting the wrong candidates, who would only represent the continuation of their suffering, misery, poverty, non payment of salaries and pensions, unemployment, and corruption laden system of government, which have characterized the state, since the inception of the current political dispensation, in Nigeria since 1999.”
The statement partly reads, “Now is the time, to put an end to the shenanigan, corruption and lack of development that had been the lot of NdiAbia in the past 24 years of inept and clueless political leadership.
“Vote for only candidates who, from their past records, have shown evidence of astute management of resources in either their private businesses or corporate organizations with clear history of good corporate governance.
“Vote buyers, who historically have corruptly enriched themselves at the expense of the people of the state, from the coffers of NdiAbia, and are now coming back to woe the electorate must be rejected and deprived of another chance of continuing that kleptocracy and evil government in Abia state.
“If NdiAbia should ever make the mistake of alignment with party choices or senatorial zone of the candidates, then, we are bound to make the same mistake of the past 24 years, which have kept us in abject poverty.
“The Abia League of Professionals Initiative (ALPI), is now calling on NdiAbia, both at home and in the Diaspora either to vote and to advise their families and communities to vote for the candidates across the political spectrum, who stand for and represent, historical character, honesty, experience, courage, competence, exposure, local and international contacts world view and above all, the fear of God.
“This voting exercise presents to NdiAbia what could be the last chance to get it right in the state, as far as the governance structure is concerned at all levels- Local Government Council, State Assembly, National Assembly and the State Governor.”
