Orji, Apugo, others Hail Gov Ikpeazu Over S/Court Victory

Governor Okezie Ikpea­zu of Abia State, who is still savouring his victory at the Supreme Court last Friday, has been urged to act as a statesman by carrying both his associates and his per­ceived political foes along in the administration of the state.
The appeal came from the immediate past Governor of the state, Senator Theodore Orji and the member representing Umua­hia East state constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Chukwudi Apugo.

Apugo particularly pleaded with Governor Ikpeazu to for­give his opponents and remain focus in his determination to transform the state.
He congratulated Ikpeazu for triumphing over his political foes who he said had “wanted to snatch his mandate through the back door.”
Apugo said that the gover­nor’s enemies had been disgraced and urged the people to put the era of distraction behind and help Ikpeazu to develop Abia.
In his comment, Senator Orji through his Media Adviser, Don Norman Obinna, advised the governor to treat his detractors as his subjects and fellow Abi­ans “irrespective of the agonis­ing campaign of calumny he suf­fered in their hands.”
Orji argued that “those who seek redress in court of law in a perceived injustice did nothing wrong as it is their inalienable right to do so.”
He said that there was nei­ther victor nor vanquished “in this contest as victory for Ikpea­zu is victory for all Abia State in­digenes.”
Senator Orji, however, ad­vised the governor’s opponents to come out of their trenches and support him since the apex court had affirmed his victory.
He also enjoined other ag­grieved members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to take the judgment of the Supreme Court in good faith and support Ikpeazu in his efforts to take Abia to her next level of development.
Similarly, the Special Assis­tant to the Governor on Summit, Elder Ikokwu Ogbuji, thanked God for not allowing Ikpeazu’s mandate to be stolen from the backdoor by power mongers.
He said that Abia would wit­ness more developments in the months ahead “as the distrac­tions are now off the way.”
Ogbuji praised the Supreme Court for affirming Ikpeazu’s vic­tory and appealed to his oppo­nents to join hands with him in developing the state.
In his reaction, the imme­diate past state PDP Chairman of PDP, Senator Emma Nwaka, hailed the Supreme Court for up­holding the governor’s victory.
He said: “It is a thing of joy to know that the Supreme Court of Nigeria has finally resolved the vexatious legal tussle as to the winner of the 2015 governorship election in favour of the incum­bent, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu.”
He, however, expressed sad­ness that “this case was allowed to drag on for too long against wise counsel with the sad effect of constituting a nuisance and distraction to the Governor in his efforts to run the affairs of our State.
Nwaka also urged Ikpeazu to be magnanimous in victory and urged his opponents to embrace peace and support him to move the state forward.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Af­fairs, Chief Charles Ogbonnaya, said that he knew that the gover­nor’s opponents had no case but only wanted to steal his mandate from the backdoor.
He hailed the judiciary for not allowing “desperadoes to subvert the collective will of Abi­ans through a shortcut.”
Ogbonnaya also urged the opponents to pledge loyalty to the governor and bring their ide­as to the table to help move the state forward.
The Chairman of Hausa Community and Sarki Hausa in Abia State, Alhaji Danladi Yaro, said that the governor would now have ample time to concen­trate on governance.
He assured Ikpeazu of the support of the Hausa commu­nity in the state and appealed to those who fought the governor at the courts to rally round him in the interest of the state.