By Suleiman Anyalewechi
The Immediate past Governor of Abia state, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has said that his concern is how to return the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on which platform he governed Abia State for eight years, back to winning ways after the 2023 electoral fiasco.
This is even as he has insisted that exiting the PDP now, and/or in the nearest future is not an option.
Dr Ikpeazu who spoke at Abia PDP Caucus meeting held at its new State Secretariat on Ogurube Lay out Umuahia the State capital urged party faithful to rededicate themselves to the task of repositioning the party .
He noted that the decision to quit the PDP by some of his aides and former top government functionaries remains their personal choice,adding..
“We must take individual responsibilities for our performance in the 2023 general elections even as our party is going through self cleansing at the moment
“I will remain in PDP and will never be found wanting in my responsibilities to our party and its rebuilding process.
“Those who want to leave will leave no matter what you do .But loyalty, is also about the realization that at some point this party was good to you .It is now time for sacrifice, particularly from those who had previously benefited from our party in one way or the other .We must join hands to rebuild it ”
The former Abia state Governor’s reaffirmation of his loyalty comes on the heels of the defection of some top government officials who served under him, as well as his aides ,to the rival All Progressive Congress APC on Monday April 2 ,with his Chief Of Staff Professor Anthony Agbazuere and Bar. Eze Chikamnayo, former Commissioner of Information toping the list of the decampees.
The Abia PDP through its spokesperson Comrade Abraham Amah has since described the defectors as those not useful to the party ,and their defection a welcome development to the self cleansing process of the party.
Earlier at the Caucus meeting which well attended by party leaders across the state, the Abia. State PDP Chairman Dr Alwell Asiforo Okere ,appreciated members who despite losing power in the state have continued to support the party ,assuring that the PDP in the state will sooner than later bounce back in to reckoning.
According to him ,the fact that the Party remans in the majority in the Abia state House of Assembly is a pointer that it is not completely out of reckoning in the State.
Pioneer Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC ,and PDP Board of Trustees Member,Chief Onyema Ugochukwu , the party’s only Senator from Abia Central ,Col.( rtd ) Augustine Akobundu, immediate past Deputy Governor ,Sir. Ude Oko Chukwu ,Chief Okey Ahiwe, the party’s gubernatorial candidate in the last election, serving and former members of the State House of Assembly, and a host of others attended the caucus meeting.
