We’ve not started 2019 campaign for Ikpeazu – Group

Mid-way into his first tenure as the governor of Abia State, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu Campaign Organisation says it has not started any campaigns for the governor who is still battling with numerous court actions against his governorship mandate.
Director-General of Okezuo Abia Organisation, Elder John Nwamgborogwu, stated this when he led members of the organization on a Thanks You tour of senatorial districts of the state, Abia North, Central and South, stating that the organisation had only come to thank those who supported Ikpeazu through then organisation to become the governor.
As he did tell people at Arochukwu, Ohafia, Umunneochi and Isuikwuato LGAs, “If you support Ikpeazu, you have no choice than to support the platform that brought him in”, stating that with the tour, guided by the center point of its philosophy, “together we can”, the organisation was moving to appreciate its members from the 17 local government areas of Abia State, who stood solidly behind the principle of equity and justice in the making of the 2015 gubernatorial election.
“In Okezuo Abia, we embrace everybody”, he said, appealing to Abians to embrace the spirit of sportsmanship in any elections. He pointed out that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu would have achieved more for the state, if he had not been dragged back by series of litigations instituted against him by those who aspired/contested the governorship seat with him.
He denied the insinuations in many quarters that Ikpeazu has started campaigning for 2019 bid, stating: “Our mission has nothing to do for or against anybody. It is about choice of fairness and equity. Okezuo Abia is all about justice and equity and there will be peace when there is equity”, recalling that at the inception of the organisation, it took the initiators more than eight hour to come up with the name.
“We called for help for people to help put in Ikpeazu and he later won. Having been here to beg you, we are now here to thank you”, he said.
According to him, “the weed sown by the enemy has grown with the corn through series of court actions. God answered us and we believe he will win on 12th May, 2017”.
He however said that even with the court cases, Gov. Ikpeazu has within the years under review, achieved a lot for the state, stating: “If the governor can achieve a lot for the state even when he is under chains, then think of what he would have done in the absence of court cases.
“We should join hands in the preaching of spirit of sportsmanship, this will help our state to grow rapidly. It is good to congratulate your fellow contestant who emerged victorious in any contest, instead of dragging him from one law court to the other. It is not helpful. We need to change from that attitude. If not that Dr. Ikpeazu is a man that is determined and focused and is very passionate about his commitment towards the development of Abia State, I assure you, we would not have harvested anything so far.
“But think about what we have already experienced from him in terms of developmental projects. He will do more and much better if we get out of this thing and by God’s grace, as we have already claimed it by faith, we have emerged victorious”.
Elder Nwangborogwu said the organisation was using the opportunity to tour round to see its friends and “will later initiate our micro-economic support programme which we have started in some LGAs. When the beneficiaries handle the items with sense of sacrifice, it will then grow”. He stated that after winning, the state governor had commissioned the Isuikwuato regional water scheme as he promised during his campaign.
The campaign DG, who lamented that the court cases also affected the appreciation visit which was earlier scheduled shortly after the election victory, commended members for their perseverance and consistency and appealed to them to remain steadfast and prayerful, so that Governor Ikpeazu will lead Abia State to its rightful destination.
He announced that shortly after the appreciation visit, some people from the LGA will come for a summit the organisation will hold in Umuahia, which is expected to attract who is who in Abia State and Nigeria, adding that the Okezuo Abia’s mini- empowerment programme will soon reach its members individually, as the results from the local governments which served as a pilot LGA is encouraging.
A prayer session was later conducted to ask God to intervene in Gov. Ikpeazu’s court case and give him victory.
Speaking at the event held at the Isuikwuato council headquarters in Mbalano with the LGA chairman absent, various people including the organisation’s Director, Osita Igbe, Navy Capt. Chris Osondu (rtd), memmber representing the LGA in the state House of Assembly, Chukwudi Ogele, PDP LGA Woman Leader, Ngozi Osuoha appreciated the organisation and Gov. Ikpeazu for coming to thank them and used the opportunity to acquaint the state government on the needs of the LGA.
Earlier when then organisation paid him a courtesy call in his Enyi na Obiangwu palace, the former Chairman of South-East Traditional Rulers Council and Chairman Isuikwuato Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM Eze Ezo Ukandu, insisted that their collective struggle to the actualisation of Abia as a state centered on fairness, equity and justice will not be in vain as they (traditional rulers and other founding fathers of Abia State) are poised to ensure that peace reigns in the state.
According to him, “when the name Okezuo Abia was adopted as a campaign organisation which projected Okezie Ikpeazu as a candidate from Ukwa/Ngwa extraction, it sent a very strong signal to Abians”.