Minority Leader of the Senate, Enyinnaya Abaribe, on Saturday evening confirmed through his aide his intention to run for the governorship in 2023.

Sources said Abaribe informed Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu about his ambition when he visited him along with his supporters and leaders of thought on Christmas Day.

Abaribe’s special assistant on media, Uche Awom, confirmed the development in a telephone chat with our correspondent.

According to him, Abaribe made his intention to contest the gubernatorial race known to Governor Ikpeazu at the Abia Government House in Umuahia during the visit.

He described the reception by the governor as “warm and convivial.”

But Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has disassociated himself from the governorship aspiration of the senator representing Abia South in the red chamber, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.

In a clarification press release made available and signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Onyebuchi Ememanka, the governor revealed that he is not thinking about the politics of 2023 now because doing so will be tantamount to a technical abridgement of his own tenure and is capable of distracting him from the serious issues of governance in the State currently. In particular, the Governor stated that he is presently occupied with ensuring that some critical road projects are dealt with, especially in Aba within this dry season window. Some of these projects, for which contractors have been fully mobilized, include the recovery and completion of Faulks Road, Port Harcourt Road, Ngwa Road, Uratta, Obohia, Ohanku, Onuma, Eziukwu-Cemetery Road, Aba Owerri Road, ABSUTH – Udeagbala Road and the Osisioma Interchange, amongst others.

The governor further more stated that it will be inexpedient for him to associate himself with the aspirations of any person at this time, a move that could send wrong signals to the rest of the State and introduce some level of confusion in the politics of Abia State.

READ FULL STATEMENT:

2023 – IKPEAZU WILL NOT BE DISTRACTED

“Our attention has been drawn to certain reports in both the traditional and social media on the declaration of interest in the 2023 gubernatorial elections in Abia State by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe. Some of these reports are factually incorrect while some others carry certain misleading insinuations and needless innuendos.

In view of the above, a proper clarification has not only become politically expedient but inevitable.

On 24th December 2021, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu received Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe in his Country Home at Umuobiakwa, Obingwa LGA on a scheduled Christmas visit. This visit, which has become an annual ritual by the Senator, is for all intents and purposes, a display of brotherhood and love. Senator Abaribe is not only an elder brother to the Governor but a highly respected Nigerian political leader.

It was in the course of the visit that the Senator informed the Governor of his intention to “throw his hat into the ring” when the contest for the 2023 Gubernatorial Elections in the State starts. The Senator was accompanied by some political leaders from Obingwa LGA on the visit.

Governor Ikpeazu welcomed the Senator and thanked him for the Christmas visit. On the issue of his gubernatorial ambition, the Governor made the following remarks –

That he believes strongly that power comes from God and that the issues around power are too important and critical that God cannot leave it entirely in the hands of men. It was this philosophy that defined his own emergence as Governor in 2015.

That he is not thinking about the politics of 2023 now because doing so will be tantamount to a technical abridgement of his own tenure and is capable of distracting him from the serious issues of governance in the State currently. In particular, the Governor stated that he is presently occupied with ensuring that some critical road projects are dealt with, especially in Aba within this dry season window. Some of these projects, for which contractors have been fully mobilized, include the recovery and completion of Faulks Road, Port Harcourt Road, Ngwa Road, Uratta, Obohia, Ohanku, Onuma, Eziukwu-Cemetery Road, Aba Owerri Road, ABSUTH – Udeagbala Road and the Osisioma Interchange, amongst others.

That in view of the above, it will be inexpedient for him to associate himself with the aspirations of any person at this time, a move that could send wrong signals to the rest of the State and introduce some level of confusion in the politics of our dear state.

Finally, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu is a democrat who understands and respects the rights of every citizen to his political aspirations. He also firmly believes that when the time is right, the usual interplay of political forces on the one hand and a divine agenda on the other will put all issues around who succeeds him to rest.”

Meanwhile, a popular Lagos State employee, Joe Igbokwe have been ‘restless’ since the announcement went viral.

According to a short statement he made;

“Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe is trying so hard to gain favour and popularity using IPOB terrorist as backup to enter Abia State government house as a governor, but that will never happen in our land.”

“Anybody supporting a terrorist organization can never ever become a governor in Igbo land.

“We will never support such ideology because if eventually he succeeds, Abia State will become the headquarters of terrorists in Igboland because he supports and pampers them alot.”

“That Governorship position he’s gunning for will definitely elude him.

Although APC is taking over the state come 2023 because we have all it takes to govern Abia State for the better.”

“He can contest as many times as possible but i tell you, he will fail woefully and will receive the highest humiliation and disgrace of his life.”

Joe Igbokwe is a 65 years old man born in Nnewi, Abia state.