Ikpeazu’s kinsmen threaten Peter Obi over Abia campaign

• Catholic Church calls off PDP endorsement

Sopuruchi Onwuka

Clan based youth group supporting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia has warned the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, to shelve his planned visit to support the party’s candidate in the March 11 governorship election in the state.

In a letter addressed to the OBIDIENTS’ National Leader, the Supreme Council of Ukwa Ngwa Youths, Abia State called out Mr Peter Obi to put on hold any planned visit to support the Labour Party’s candidates in the March 11 elections, saying such visit would divide the Obidients across all parties who jointly supported Labour Party in the presidential elections in the state.

The group which is totally working for the PDP in Governor Okezie Ipeazu’s senatorial district where the incumbent lost woefully in the February 25 National Assembly elections, is of the opinion that Mr Obi’s presence in the state would swing things for the worse for the ruling party which is now factionalized and steadily losing grounds.

The letter to Mr Peter Obi also indicates worsening desperation for the PDP to maintain a grip on the Government House in Abia State as key pillars of the party fail to agree on power sharing across different blocs of the party; a situation which has led to internal wrangling as other parties consolidate their campaigns and strategies to cause change of administration after the PDP has remained in power since 1999.

The PDP has also been getting a hit from all key stakeholders in the state, with the Catholic Church also in the Abia South senatorial home base of the sitting governor disowning priests in the area for purportedly endorsing the party for the March 11 elections.

In a widely circulated letter to the Catholic faithful in Aba Diocese of the church, the Bishop, Most Rev. Augustine Echema, totally disowned any form of endorsement for any party in the state, dismissing rumours of endorsement from the church.

The bishop advised Abia electorate to look objectively at the candidates, their programmes and how their agenda match their expectations of the kind of state they wish to live in.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the bishop declared that the church would discipline priests and leaders of various groups within Aba Diocese who engage in partisan activities. He made it clear that the Catholic Church does not engage in partisan politics.

“The speculation that Aba Diocese under my leadership has endorsed the PDP guber candidate for the March 11 election is nothing but outright falsehood.  No such endorsement has taken place and none is being considered,” the bishop declared.

“We have welcomed everyone into our fold while allowing the voters the freedom to make the ultimate choice at the polls.

“As we prepare for the election of a governor and members of the state House of Assembly this Saturday, March 11, I would begin by admonishing the politicians to be mindful of their utterances and actions. I enjoin them to eschew violent languages and whatever can lead to social unrest considering how fragile public emotions are at this time. Politics must be played with decency and the fear of God.  It must be reiterated that whoever embraces violence and deceit in political pursuits cannot be motivated by a sense of service to the people.

“I encourage you to refrain from religious and clannish considerations but to make a bold choice of leaders you can be proud of. Remember you would be held accountable at some point for every choice you make, including the ones you would make at the ballots on March 11, 2023. Be certain it is something you and your family can be proud of,” the bishop advised.

However, the bishop’d appeal runs into direct conflict with the letter from PDP youths in the area warning Mr Peter Obi from coming to support Obedients in the state ahead of the elections.

In their own letter, the Ukwa Ngwa Youths directly launched into clannish sentiments, telling Mr Peter Obi that it would be “much primordial for you to campaign for the labor party’s gubernatorial candidate at the expense of the entire Abians.”

“We wish to make it clear that your visit is not welcomed and is viewed as an affront, a grand plan to use your current super-national political image culminated from our overwhelming love for you to rob us of our right of turn.

“This is not to say That Labor Party does not deserve the right to campaign for their candidates but we totally reject and vehemently refuse that you be used to robbing us of our chance now. This is no longer a national issue.

“Please resist the temptation of that invitation to Abia and allow Abians to vote for their Governor and members of the Abia State house of Assembly,” the group warned.

The letter is one of the many desperate voices from political groups in the state as the March 11 polls draw close. Whereas the February 25 election caused a seismic shift in the fossil base of Nigerian politics with new leaders being thrown up by youths across the country, entrenched parties like the PDP and APC have continued to lose weight in Abia as party stalwarts continue to resign membership.

The resignation letter of Chief Chima Grant Mgbeke was received by the Abia PDP on March 6, 2023 just as the governorship election runs close and the party occupies itself with internal battle.

In the resignation letter copied to the Umunneochi Local Government and Abia State Chairmen of the party respectively, Chief Mgbeke thanked the party and its members and wished them well.

Despite the current shape of the PDP in Abia State, The Oracle Today reports that the party still lacks any credible opposition in the state, leaving it in direct confrontation with the nascent Labour Party whose Obidient Movement has mustered substantial momentum.