With less than 36 hours to the 2023 governorship/state assembly election, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, High Chief Ikechi Emenike has continued to benefit from political alignment and endorsements.
In one of such alignment a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Wednesday adopted Emenike as their sole candidate for the gubernatorial poll.
In similar political move, the candidate of the African Democratic Party(ADP), for Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency in the February 25 poll, Hon Patrick Meregini also handed his structure to Emenike and pledged to work for his success.
Leader of the APGA faction, Sir Chikwe Udensi, was a rival governorship candidate of the party before the Supreme ruling two weeks ago. He said that the endorsement of the APC governorship flag bearer was a well thought-out decision following an evaluation of all the governorship candidates and their plans for Abia.
Udensi, an Interpol security consultant said that his political structure, BANA (Build a new Abia) would be deployed to work for a successful electoral outing of Emenike, adding that they share similar vision for rapid development of Abia.
“What we want in Abia is to build a new solid Abia,” he said, adding that as a family, members of BANA “will join hands an give our votes to one person who can build a new Abia of our dream”.
He said that BANA has over 185,000 membership strength comprising 38 organisations and groups across the 184 electoral wards in Abia and would be fully activated to deliver the needed votes for Emenike.
On their part members of the Northern Community in Abia pledged their support for the APC governorship hopeful, saying that his manifesto resonates with them.
Led by the the Coordinator, Alhaji Salisu Idris and sectional leaders for Lokpa Cattle Market, Alhaji Husseini Mohammad and youth leader for Aba Aliyu Sani, the delegation of Northerners pledged their total support for Emenike.
“We are already part of the system(in Abia). We have come to show our solidarity and support for High Chief Ikechi Emenike and we will mobilise the entire Northerners in Abia to support him with their votes,” he said.
While welcoming the Northern delegation, Emenike thanked them for adopting him as their candidate and urged them to sand by their words and keep their promise.
The APC governorship flag bearer told the Abia Northerners that his one them having been born and brought up in the North, adding that his Deputy, Mrs. Gloria Akara is also one them with her northern roots.
He promised to clean up the Lokpa Cattle Market and build a school there, adding that under his administration there would be no discrimination of any type in Abia.
“I am a father to everybody. I want to make Abia a model state where people can come live and work or do business peacefully without any discrimination,” said.
Mrs. Akara, who addressed the Northern Community delegation in flawless Hausa, urged them to demonstrate their support for APC with their votes, assuring them that their interests would be protected.