Governor of Abia State Okezie Ikpeazu has assured members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the state and national levels that the party remains “strong, viable and united” even as they mourn the death of the state governorship candidate, Professor Eleazar Uche Ikonne.
The governor made the assertion yesterday when he received a delegation of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) on a condolence and solidarity visit to the state at the Government House Umuahia.
In a statement issued by the chief press secretary to the governor Sir Onyebuchi Ememanka, the governor Ikpeazu said the death of Ikonne was a huge setback for the members of the party, but declared that the PDP is blessed with sufficient resilience and strength to deal with the setback and bounce back to win the 2023 elections.
Ikpeazu thanked the party’s national leadership for their show of support and solidarity with the Abia chapter at this trying moment, assuring that the PDP shall rise from the ashes of the current despair to record a massive victory at the elections.
He added that the PDP remains the party of choice in the state.
The governor used the opportunity to inform the delegation that the State Caucus of the party met yesterday and agreed to retain the zoning formula which will lead to the emergence of the new candidate from Isiala Ngwa North local government area, the home council of the late Ikonne.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation and deputy national chairman of PDP (North), Ambassador Umar Damagum, told the governor that the delegation was in the state to condole with the governor, the party members and the entire people of Abia State on the death of Ikonne.
Other members of the delegation included the party’s national secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu and the national legal adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN).
The deputy governor Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, the secretary to the state government, Barr Chris Ezem, chief of staff to the governor, Chief Okey Ahiwe, PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) member and former deputy governor of the state, Hon. Eric Acho Nwakanma, members of the State Working Committee (SEC) of the party led by the chairman, Hon Asiforo Okere were present at the event.
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