Ikpeazu dispels Ikonne death rumour, says i’m in touch with him
From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia
Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has dispelled rumours making the rounds in many quarters that the Governorship Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Prof. Uche Ikonne, was dead.
Contrary to the speculations, Ikpeazu said the he was in touch with Ikonne, adding that if not for logistics issues, Ikonne would have been present in the meeting of the PDP held last Monday.
Ikonne has been out of public view after the party had flagged off its 2023 campaigns in Umuahia in late November.
Since then, his running mate, Hon. Barr. Okey Igwe, has been standing in for Ikonne at public functions, a development which left tongues wagging on the whereabouts of Ikonne and his state of health.
The death rumour was escalated by the Head, Media of Uche NdiAbia Campaign Organisation, Prof. Ikonne’s campaign outfit, Uche Aguoru, when he, in a facebook post, attacked the Governorship Candidate of Young Progressives Party (YPP), Engr. Nana Nwafor, accusing him of using his aides to peddle the rumour that Ikonne was dead.
Aguoru insisted that Ikonne was alive and well (“hale and hearty”) but was only taking “his deserved rest” and was due back in the country in few days time.
Ikpeazu, speaking on Monday during a PDP stakeholders meeting in Umuahia, said the rumour has ranked Ikonne with the band of people who were alive but announced to be dead by rumour mongers.
Ikpeazu, while responding to questions on the whereabouts Ikonne, said that the erudite professor has joined the club of those whose obituary was announced while they were still alive.
Reports said the Governor jokingly said he was also a member of the club, as well as the former Premier of South East region, Late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, who, Ikpeazu said, was their chairman.Recall that Ikpeazu was rumoured to have died when he was hit by the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) in 2020 but he survived it and returned to his beat.
“You know that there is a club whose membership is drawn from those whose obituaries were announced while they are still alive. I am also a member of that club. Zik is our Chairman. One striking feature of this club is that the members outlive those who announce their obituaries and we don’t die till we get to 96 years. Professor Ikonne has joined that club now.
“I am in touch with Professor Ikonne. Save for flight issues, he should have been here with us in this meeting but he will be here in a few days,” Ikpeazu had replied.
