Royal Fathers Endorse Abia APC Guber Candidate, Emenike

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

The 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State,  Ikechi Emenike, received a major boost at the weekend following his endorsement by 67 traditional rulers of Ikwuano/Umuahia political bloc.

The royal fathers, who converged on the palace of the traditional ruler of Ajata na Igu autonomous community, King Larry Ogbonnaya Agwu, declared their support for Emenike, whom they warmly received and prayed to God to grant him success.

The royal fathers told Emenike: “Our collective desire and prayer is for God to lead you to the government house in Umuahia in 2023. We know your capacity and we strongly believe that you will work for the state and make the people smile.”

They charged him to “go for us,” assuring the governorship hopeful that they would rally their subjects across the three local government areas of Ikwuano, Umuahia North, Umuahia South, where they hold sway to support him at the poll.

Explaining the reason for supporting him, the royal fathers, whose domains constitute Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency, said they were appalled at the stagnation of Abia State, and want Emenike to save the situation.

All the traditional rulers that spoke at the meeting noted that the time has come for them to speak out and take a stand against the way Abia State was being run down. They stated that they have nothing to fear over their decision to join hands in efforts to rescue the state from further degeneration.

In his remarks, the Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon Henry Ikoh, commended the royal fathers for their wisdom in adopting Emenike as their candidate of choice, saying he is the best prepared to fix Abia State.

He described the development economist as “a strong man” who has the ideas, will power, passion and the know-how to fix the state and bring it to the greatness envisaged by the founding fathers.

Ikoh reiterated his unflinching support for Emenike, saying his people of Ikwuano already knew his stand and have joined him in efforts to deliver Emenike and other APC candidates in the forthcoming polls.

Emenike, who was accompanied by his wife and Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Dr. Uzoma Emenike, told the royal fathers that he entered the governorship race purely to rescue and develop Abia State.

He said he was not seeking power just for the sake of it, as some people are wont to do, but to use it to turn around the dwindling fortunes of God’s own state and reset it for holistic development.

The state APC standard bearer said Abia State “is in serious problem owing to the bad management of its resources,” adding that the royal fathers should partner him to rescue and develop the state.