February 16, (THEWILL) – Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, may be facing a very tough time in his bid for the Abia South Senatorial seat.
According to development in the State, the Vice Chairman of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia, David Chigbu, has resigned his membership of the party and endorsed Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) for the February 25 Senatorial election for Abia South.
Chigbu, who described the Abia State Chapter of the PDP and the Ikpeazu led-government as a “nest of liars, who have sunk to an all-time desperate and panicky position in the face of imminent defeat at the coming polls,” said he had to leave now “before the total collapse of what remains of PDP”, in Abia State.
On why he is supporting Abaribe, Chigbu said the former Senate Minority Leader had been the only known voice for the entire South East in the current Senate.
“Abaribe is a symbol of what integrity and resilience is, even in the face of persecution. No right-thinking Igbo man in Abia and elsewhere will choose an innate leadership against an Abaribe, who today, is an embodiment of Igbo renaissance.
“Abia under PDP has become a laughing stock and a butt of jokes among Nigerians, particularly now.
“We must all join hands to rescue this state from the rapacious invaders, who are holding the state hostage this time. My resignation is a patriotic duty to join other well-meaning Abians to stop the PDP from further raping our dear state with their avowed quest for primitive acquisition of wealth. Enough is enough.
“I decided to resign because I see PDP as a fraud. I see PDP as a party that is deceiving Abians. PDP has a presidential candidate in Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and formerly a governorship candidate in Professor Uche Ikonne, who just passed away and today, there is a new candidate in Chief Okey Ahaiwe,” he said.
Chigbu flayed Ikpeazu over his sabotage of the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, but at the same time, canvassed support for his anointed successor, describing that as double standard.
“The Presidential Candidate was in Umuahia but how many people were in the stadium during the rally? At the end of the day, where was the number one citizen of Abia State and many other party leaders on a day the Presidential Candidate visited Abia? We have a new Governorship Candidate that they want to market and get Abians to vote for him, but he came into the Stadium like an orphan.
“PDP is a party that does not take advice from anybody. I am the zonal Chairman of Abia South as well as the State Vice Chairman. In the office, I am not recognised. Why would you pocket the little allowances of ward officers, including my allowances? PDP as of today is owing me allowances of over 20 million naira, I am a founding member of PDP. I said I could not continue because I am not comfortable with what is happening in the party anymore
“For instance, one of my zonal officers and a State Exco member (Barr Eze Onwuma) attended a meeting and he was accused of having a romance with the YPP Governorship Candidate, who is his cousin.
“The Governor and Senator Abaribe are my brothers, now I cannot talk or associate with anybody because of party. Our party zonal office at Aba is owing for over one year now and the Party had refused to pay our rent even when I have made several demands for the payment. Let me tell you, if not Senator Abaribe, who had been paying our zonal office rent in the past, we would have been evicted a long time ago,” he added.
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