THE governorship candidates of three political parties in Abia State, Mr. Dan Onyeonagu of the KOWA Party, Mr. Gilbert Chikezie of the Independent Democrats (ID) and Mrs. Ijeoma Okpara of the Citizens Popular Party (CPP), have resolved not to challenge the victory of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the Governor-elect at the election petitions tribunal.
The gubernatorial candidates, in a joint statement issued after a meeting in Umuahia on Tuesday, described Ikpeazu’s announced victory as the verdict of Abia people at the polls.
The candidates said they endorsed Ikpeazu’s victory in the spirit of sportsmanship and congratulated him even as they pledged to support and co-operate with him, adding: “It is not about an individual, it is about the state.”
They, however, urged Governor-elect Ikpeazu to see himself as father of the entire state and accommodate all parties while allotting political offices towards effecting rapid and transformation and even development of the state.
Also while addressing journalists the same Tuesday in Umuahia, the INEC accredited domestic observers of the concluded April 28, 2015 supplementary governorship and House of Assembly elections held in the state declared that the polls held that day were duly conducted in the designated nine local councils.
In their communiqué issued on the platform of Coalition of All INEC Accredited Domestic Observers of the concluded supplementary governorship and House of Assembly elections signed by Mr. Philip Kalu as Co-ordinator and Mr. Moses Ebahor as Director of Media/Publicity and distributed to reporters, stated that the election was free, fair and peaceful in all the places they visited hence the results ought to be credible.
Commenting on the development, a chieftain of the state PDP and state Works Commissioner, Mr. Longman Nwachukwu, commended the three governorship candidates, saying that by their resolution not to challenge Ikpeazu’s victory, the work of the election tribunal would be made lighter, save money and time and advance our democracy.
