Stakeholders from across Abia State have expressed confidence in the ability of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Ikechi Emenike, to rescue the state if elected governor next year.
At a meeting held in Umuahia, the state capital, they asserted that Abia APC had finally put its acts together and had entrusted its governorship ticket in a capable hand.
The minority leader of Abia State House of Assembly, Hon Chijioke Chukwu noted that the emergence of Emenike as the APC governorship flag bearer has sent strong signal to the ruling party that the game is over as their occupation of Government House would end next year.
“The battle has just started. We must work very hard to sing victory song in 2023,” he said, adding that the past electoral disappointments have been put behind as APC is now more formidable with Emenike leading the charge to uproot the ruling party from Abia Government House.
“Yesterday is gone. Today is ours and tomorrow will be better,” the lawmaker, who represents Arochukwu state constituency declared.
Another stakeholder, Engr. Chima Onyekwere, said Emenike’s governance of Abia “will have a multiplier effect across the state” as he would implement a holistic and sustainable development agenda for the state supported with strong economic base.
He urged Abia voters to get ready to use their ballots in 2023 to usher in a new era of good governance and exponential development that the people of Abia have been dreaming of over the years.
The deputy chairman of Abia APC, Chief Grant Nwogu allayed the fears of those that usually stay away from voting with the excuse that votes don’t count, assuring that Abia would no longer witness such a scenario.
“We must vote and our votes will count in 2023,” he said, adding that with the amended Electoral Act everybody should have strong faith in the electoral process.
In his remarks, Chino Erondu challenged Abians to demonstrate their displeasure at the maladministration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by using the power of ballots to end the “locust years” of Abia’s ruling party in 2023.
“If you believe that Abia is not working, use your vote to make a change and bring in High Chief Ikechi Emenike,” he said, adding that state APC would embark on house-to-house mobilisation of voters to ensure victory for Emenike and all APC candidates.
He warned Abia voters against selling their ballots as transactional politicians usually capitalise on vote buying and other malpractices to emerge and pay the masses back with bad governance and looting of public treasury.