Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has won the senatorial ticket of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, for Abia South senatorial district.
Senator Abaribe who dumped the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, earlier in the week after pulling from the governorship race, was elected APGA senatorial flag bearer unopposed, by a mammoth crowd of delegates at the Azikiwe Road Aba, on Saturday evening.
An insider source revealed Abaribe’s withdrawal from the PDP is premised on the contentious 3-man ad-hoc delegates of the State.
In his words, “To make matters worse, the use of only an imaginary 3-man ad-hoc delegates to the exclusion of the party’s statutory delegates in the primary elections to elect our candidates even when INEC, the nation’s electoral umpire, has unequivocally stated that no congress held in Abia State for that purpose, has no doubt put the party and her candidates in a quagmire”.
The fiery lawmaker, who represents Abia South senatorial district, said this in a press statement made available to newsmen in the State.
Part of the statement reads, “I Senator Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe will not be part of this charade.
“I am, therefore, withdrawing from the exercise, which means that I will not be part of the PDP governorship primary election that holds in Abia State on Wednesday 25th of May, 2022, as doing so would have amounted to endorsement of an illegality that is already being challenged in the courts.
“I, therefore, ask all our people, our teeming supporters and Ndigbo to remain calm, keep the faith and wait for the new direction, which will be announced very soon.
“What is important is that the campaign to liberate Abia State would surely assume a new dimension. The time is now.
“Unfortunately, the ugly developments ignited by a rapacious ambition to maintain the wicked governance status quo of imposition and godfatherism have aborted this quest in PDP.
“The implication for our party is grave and as such has put all ongoing primary exercises on quick sand”.
The controversial 3-man ad-hoc delegates is said to be the smart political initiative and instrument of the PDP camp loyal to governor Ikpeazu.
With the State delegates under Ikpeazu’s absolute control, the aggrieved PDP stakeholders and stalwarts believe that their interests are being threatened and, are having defection plans.
Other Abia gubernatorial hopefuls are Hon. Udo Okochukwu, Deputy governor to Ikpeazu, Chief Emma Nwaka, former PDP State chairman, Chima Anyaso, Ncheta Omerekpe and Enyinnaya Nwafor, son of late Chima Nwafor, former Deputy Governor to former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, who died in active service.
Meanwhile, the Returning Officer, Chief Lucky Erondu, announced Abaribe’s emergence amid thunderous ovation by a crowd of supporters, delegates and party faithful.
He was the sole candidate for the seat.
In his acceptance speech, Senator Abaribe, thanked the delegates for reposing confidence in him.
Promising not to disappoint his constituents, Abaribe vowed to sustain his fight for the enthronement of democracy, equity and justice.
He said he would help to return Abia State to APGA for total liberation from god-fatherism and despondency.
“This is the time to return the state to APGA. It’s a sruggle to liberate the state and reposition the South East.
” South East needs to identify with APGA as its own and a platform to recover its lost grounds”.
With his emergence as APGA flag bearer, the third-term Senator will be clashing with Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, who holds the PDP ticket; and Ho. Blessing Nwagba of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in the 2023 senatorial poll.
