A faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia state led by former minister of state for Mines and Steel, Dr Uche Ogah has adopted the governorship candidate of the Action Peoples Party (APP), Chief Mascot Uzor Kalu as its consensus candidate in Abia State.
This is just as the Orji Uzor Kalu movement (OUK) endorsed kalu for the March 18 governorship election.
Chairman of the group, Abia State chapter of the group, Hon. Ojisi Ogbaja in a statement said the OUK movement urged members of the group to vote massively for the APP governorship candidate on Saturday.
The group noted that Mascot Uzor Kalu was the most prepared, qualified governorship candidate supported by well meaning Abians to succeed Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
The group noted that the decision to endorse the former Chief of Staff to former governor T. A. Orji came after careful deliberations and consultations with decision-makers and opinion leaders from diverse parts of the state.
The group described Kalu as a principled leader, with the right people-focused and public service credentials to lead Abia at a critical time when the state needs experienced, skillful, stable hands at the helm.
The group said, “Chief Mascot Uzor Kalu, from Abia North Senatorial District and favoured by the Abia Charter of Equity is the most prepared candidate to succeed Governor Okezie Ikpeazu. He is not a desperate politician, but someone with a genuine heart for service… and our mandate is to continue to engage with like minds across the three Senatorial District to see the need to have a great Governor like him.
“We need to build a strong Abia State that is one people committed to a state run on high values of integrity, hard work, and justice for the progress of all. No one represents these ideals better than the APP candidate and that is why we are confident he is the one to lead Abia State into new dawn come 2023.”
In a related development, the APC faction at a town hall meeting in Umuahia, the state capital it decided to adopt and endorse the APP candidate after diligent consultations.
A statement by the chairman of the faction of the party, Chief Goldie Nwagbara as saying that Kalu had no “bashed antecedent”.
“We have considered everything including the Abia Charter of equity. It is right to be fair to all zones and it is the turn of Abia North to produce a Governor. We also studied his manifesto and character. We looked at his antecedents and he stood out among others.
“We concluded that the decision on the leadership of Abia State should not be by party, We are members of APC but We and all members of our party will vote for APP on Saturday.
“Let the people of Abia State know that Mascot Kalu is the hope of Abians in their quest to liberate our people from the shackles of ineffective and inefficient governance of the current government, “ he said.
Similarly, the Secretary of the Party, Barr. Perfect Okorie said “Having looked into the antecedents of all aspirants, including the candidate of the other faction of our party, our own faction decided to support, canvass and vote for an aspirant with no bashed antecedent and who is interested in human and capital development in the state.
“The party decided to pull her strength for the emergence of a Governor who has experience in dealing with the public. Mascot Kalu is an economist who has an outstanding history of personal, educational, social and political success. He is young, humble, calm and brilliant. He has what it takes to take this state to the frontline.”
