Uche Aguoru, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic (Party PDP) in Abia State, has dismissed the insinuations about a purported rift between Professor Uche Ikonne and ex-Abia Governor, Senator Theodore Orji over the Abia 2023 gubernatorial ticket.
Online reports surfaced on Tuesday claiming that Senator Orji, who currently represents Abia Central District in the National Assembly, is opposed to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s choice of Ikonne as the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP in the forthcoming 2023 general elections in Abia State.
Newspot recalls that Ikonne, an ex-Vice Chancellor of Abia State University Uturu (ABSU), was declared the winner of the concluded gubernatorial primary elections conducted by the leadership of the PDP which took place in Umuahia township stadium on 25th of May, 2022. He polled 468 votes to defeat other contestants jostling for the party’s governorship seat ticket. Peter Ayo Fayose, the chairman of the Abia State PDP Gubernatorial Primary Election Committee and former Governor of Ekiti State, announced the result of the primary election.
Aguoru, the media aide to the PDP candidate, while speaking with newsmen in Umuahia on Thursday, maintained that there was no feud between both party leaders, affirming that Senator Orji and other major leaders of PDP are strongly united in their support towards ensuring the emergence of Professor Uche Ikonne as the next Abia State governor, as well as victories of all candidates of the umbrella party in the coming 2023 general elections in the state.
His words: “Let me tell you, these great party leaders, Distinguished Senator T. A Orji, Chief Charles Ogbonna and other notable leaders are solidly behind the gubernatorial candidacy of Prof Uche Ikonne. Also, there are no internal squabbles in the fold of Abia PDP, or whatever differences between these great leaders, or opposition against Governor Ikpeazu’s choice of Ikonne.
“If there are existing feuds or oppositions against Ikonne’s emergence by these great leaders, Senator Orji, Ogbonna, and all the rest wouldn’t have accepted their appointment into the Abia State PDP Campaign Council. I can confirm to you confidently and authoritatively that Senator T. A Orji is a member of the state advisory campaign council of the party.”
He said further: “I would want to use this medium to urge good people of Abia State to disregard this falsehood and cheap propaganda orchestrated by disgruntled and unscrupulous Individuals to unnecessarily heat up the Abia polity, because of imminent defeat staring at their faces.”
Asked also to react to the wide allegation of poor performances by Ikonne then as the Vice Chancellor and Rector of Abia State University and Polytechnic respectively, Aguoru maintained that the party’s gubernatorial candidate left indelible and uncommon strides which had placed the institutions on a higher pedestal.
“His track records are there for doubting Thomases to verify. And Abia state university is rated the best in teaching and learning today, is due to the outstanding and results-oriented policies and programmes instituted by Prof. Uche Elezar Ikonne.
“However, these idiotic rantings and uncharitable outbursts are parts of the hatched evil machinations and strategies by opponents to incite Abia people against this distinguished son of Abia whose antecedents, human attributes, leadership charisma, acumen and clouts are second to none. And on these bases and grounds people of this great state have resolved to rally around PDP, and all her candidates in the 2023 general elections”.
Abia 2023: No rift between PDP guber candidate Ikonne, ex-Gov Theo Orji – Aguoru
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