Igbos at War: Governor Ikpeazu deals Rochas big blow

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state, has lashed out at Governor Rochas Okorocha - The Abia state governor has rejected Okorocha's hand of brotherhood, as the Imo state governor urges Southeastern governors to join APC - Okezie says Abia is a PDP state, even as Okorocha agrees his call was ill-timed Dr Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state, has reiterated that he remains a loyal and committed member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

He spoke in response to claim by Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, that three Sout-East Governors are preparing to join the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

Okorocha made the comment at a meeting of all APC leaders in the zone, held at the Imo International Convention Centre (IICC) on Saturday.

But Ikpeazu, through his Chief Press Secretary, Enyinnaya Appolos, urged his loyalists, associates, Abians and all Nigerians to disregard the rumor that he was planning to defect to APC.

“Governor Okezie Ikpeazu is not currently in the mood for party politics,” the CPS said in a statement made available to Daily Post Monday night.

“He is in the good governance mood with focus on delivering massive dividends of democracy to Abia electorate that voted massively for him in 2015 to become the 4th democratically elected governor of God’s Own State of Abia, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“Abia is a PDP state and Governor Ikpeazu is not just a card-carrying member of the PDP in Abia, he is the leader of the party in the state and one of the current pillars of the party in Nigeria today. He is comfortable in PDP”.

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has back-pedalled on his declara­tion that his other South East Governors were on the verge of defecting to joining him in the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors, including Dave Uma­hi of Ebony State and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia as well as Willie Obiano had denied Okorocha’s claims.

Reacting to the gover­nors’ denial while speak­ing with State House correspondents after a meeting with Acting President, Yemi Osinba­jo, in his office, Okoro­cha said he may have spoken too early because the governors were not yet ready to defect.

 “I don’t think it is true, but if it is true, it is prob­ably because it is not time. It could be because I spoke when they were not yet ready,” Okorocha said.

On his leadership quality which Obiano had questioned, he said, “It is not about Rochas Okorocha, I am a gover­nor.”

On the call that Ndig­bo should produce the President in 2019, he reiterated that the South East should aspire to the Presidency after the Mu­hammadu Buhari’s era.

According to him, “What I do know is that Ndiigbo should talk about Presidency after President Muhammadu Buhari.

“I think we should support this govern­ment. President Mu­hammadu Buhari has a tenure to work for, four years or eight years ac­cording to the zoning arrangement and every­body should follow the zoning although I am not an advocate of zon­ing.”

He said “the APC as a party is strong in the South East. We are try­ing to rebuild the party and redefine leadership so there will be no con­fusion."