Ahead of the March 11th Governorship polls, the “Action People’s Party, APP” has been described as the only platform through which the people of Abia-North can actualise their goal of producing the next Governor of the state as stipulated in the “Abia Charter of Equity ” which allows rotation of power at the center among the three geo political zones of North, South and Central in the state.
Asides, Equity and Fairness the APP has also been said to be the Best party with a realistic master plan to rescue the state from its current myriad of infrastructure deficit, economic , educational, health and security challenges through its Gubernatorial candidate, Sir. Mascot Uzor Kalu.
The above were the assertions of Chief Princewill Ukaegbu, Abia Party Chairman of the APP on Sunday at a joint rally held in Igbere Bende LGA which had in attendance members and executives of OUK Movement, Reality Organisation and APP.
According to Ukaegbu the Party carefully chose its flag bearer, Mascot Kalu from Abia-North and ceded its deputy Governorship slot to Ukwa East in person of Prof Osondu Akoma in order to respect the existing zoning principle thereby giving the people of the zones a sense of belonging.
He disclosed that the courts had ruled out opportunities for the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA and the All Progressives Congress APC, to produce candidates from Abia-North extraction following a February Appeal court ruling that APGA has no Gubernatorial candidate while the supreme Court voided the candidacy of Uche Ogah of the APC.
Additionally, Ukaegbu stated that APP’s Mascot is the youngest Candidate who is sufficiently educated and possessed the leadership qualities to save the state from its current challenges for the good of all Abians irrespective of clan, tribe, religion or indigeneship.
Ukaegbu berated the APC, People’s DemocraticParty, Young ProgressivesParty, Labour Party and other parties for disrespecting Abia-North by disregarding the zonal power rotation as they selected their candidates from Central and South.
He said that going by the zoning principle which began in 1999 Abia North is the zone expected to produce the next governor in 2023, adding that each of the three zones would have by May 29th, 2023 taken turns to produce the governor. The completion of Okezie’s tenure heralded the beginning of the rotation from Abia-North.
Addressing newsmen the Party Leader argued that judging by the Charter, the North, Central and South have had their turns in producing governors that ruled for two terms of eight years each in the persons of Senators Orji Uzor Kalu for North and Theodore Orji for Central and now Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, who took the turn of the South and is due to complete his second term in May, 2023.
Ukaegbu canvassed for power return to Abia-North;
“Members of Abia’s largest political platforms the OUK Movement and Reality have come together to once again declare support for the APP, mind you that they are the largest because their members are drawn from all political parties including the APC, PDP , YPP and others.
“Obi is no longer on the ballot paper so Labour Party’s time is over, the people have decided to vote based on Equity and Capability to deliver and the APP is the only party with such. Our candidate Mascot stands out not just because he hails from Abia-North, but because he is the youngest, most educated and has been tested both in the public and private sectors and he has demonstrated his ability to lead.
“I as the party Chairman I’m an indigene of Abia Central I could have as well used my influence to make our party candidate emerge from my zone but its not the right thing to do.
“Abia North has waited patiently for 16 years in the spirit of tolerance and brotherhood for power to rotate to other zones of the state, does it mean that they are fools?
“APP is the only hope for Abia-North because the candidacy of our brothers Uche Ogah of the APC and Greg Ibe of APGA has been nullified by the courts, APP remains the best option to provide Equity and Good governance for all Abians.
According to him candidates of the PDP, APC and LP all hailed from Ngwa extraction in Abia Central while that of the Young Progressives Party, YPP hails from Osisioma LGA in Abia South where the incumbent Governor comes from, leaving only the APP with a candidate from Abia-North.
Ukaegbu said the current zoning arrangement of other parties could disrupt the peace, justice and fairness the state had achieved in politics, he however urged all eligible voters in Abia to cast their votes for the APP to guarantee peace and development.
He urged voters to troop our en-masse to exercise their franchise, assuring that the Independent National Electoral Commission had put in place measures to improve in its conduct. Ukaegbu tasked the electorates to look out for and cast their votes in the box beside the Elephant logo.
The crowded event had in attendance party faithfuls, executives and members of OUK Movement and Reality Organisation .
