Senior Citizens Forum, Abia State, members of Uche Ogah’s Abia Rejoice, and six political parties have endorsed High Chief Ikechi Emenike, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
The director-general of Ikechi Emenike Campaign Council, High Chief Uche Ogboso said that the parties whose members have endorsed and aligned their structures with the APC governorship candidate include the Peoples Democratic Party, Action Peoples Party, African Democratic Congress, National Rescue Movement, Labour Party, and the Youth Party.
This is just as the Accord Party, Action Alliance, Allied Peoples Movement, Boot Party, Zenith Labour Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party, and Social Democratic Party are in line to follow suit.
The Senior Citizens forum announced their endorsement of Emenike in a statement jointly signed by Chief Joe Onuoha (Abia North), Mr Peter Anyim (Abia Central) and Chief James Ikedi (Abia South) which was made available to newsmen in Umuahia, the state capital.
The retirees said they were weighed down by sufferings and hardships thrown at them by unpaid pensions and gratuities and have chosen Emenike as their hope for survival.
They, therefore, urged their colleagues, members of their families, and sympathizers to vote massively for Emenike as “he is the only candidate in this race who can be trusted to keep promises”.
“Emenike is the only candidate with verifiable policy of prompt payment of pensions, arrears of pensions, gratuities and monthly allowances to all senior citizens in the state,” they said to justify their endorsement of his candidature.
Abia Rejoice, which is the political structure of the former minister of state for mines and steel development, Mr Uche Ogah, was led by Jerry Chimechefulam to pledge allegiance to Emenike.
At another event, over 80 members of NRM in Ohafia and Arochukwu Local governments as well as their PDP counterparts in Ohafia declared for the APC.
The group was led by the NRM House of Representatives candidate for the Ohafia/Arochukwu federal constituency, Rev Boris Olugu.
The main opposition party also on the same day received into its fold a major PDP stakeholder from Ohafia, Prince Kalu Eze Okarazu, who is a former special adviser to Abia State governor.
Okarazu led seven other PDP stakeholders to defect to APC, vowing “to do everything possible to support the APC governorship candidate win the forthcoming governorship poll.”
The director-general, Ikechi Emenike Campaign Council, High Chief Uche Ogboso expressed delight over the unfolding developments while addressing newsmen in his office at APC campaign headquarters in Umuahia.
Ogboso, who attributed the development to the growing popularity of the APC governorship flag bearer, added that the party has the best candidate among the candidates.
“The new defectors were attracted into Emenike’s magnetic field within the one-week extension period of the governorship poll after successful outing of APC in the February 25, 2023 presidential poll,” he said.
We’ve got the edge. Get real-time reports, breaking scoops, and exclusive angles delivered straight to your phone. Don’t settle for stale news. Join LEADERSHIP NEWS on WhatsApp for 24/7 updates →
Join Our WhatsApp Channel
