Despite persistent denials, rumours are rife that Governor Theodore Orji of Abia state has endorsed Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu to succeed him. Going by the list of those who have indicated interest to succeed the governor, Dr. Ikpeazu can be said to be the least known amongst them and ironically this has been his unique selling point to the governor. OKECHUKWU KESHI looks at the man who may be the next governor of Abia state and the huddles he has to surmount.
One thing paramount in the interest of every politician is the enthronement of his successor. This could be for positive or negative reasons. Former Military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida was quoted as saying that “he does not know who would succeed him, but that knows those who would not succeed him.”
As governors across the country scramble to install their successors, that of Abia State is not yet obviously spelt out but body languages in certain quarters are strong pointers to who Governor Theodore Orji would wish to succeed him.
The secretariat of Aba South local government area is a strategic location in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State. Situated in this environment is a gigantic billboard of one of the frontline contenders in Abia 2015 gubernatorial race, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu. The message captured in this billboard may offer some clues on who Orji would like to succeed him in 2015.
The message reads, “Okwerekwesike Ochendo Abia state adopts Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu for Governor 2015”.
Since the rumour of Ikpeazu’s endorsement by the governor broke in the first quarter of this year, it has been shrouded in controversy. Orji, in a swift reaction dismissed the insinuation that he had endorsed a candidate for 2015 governorship election in the state.
The governor made it clear that he had not endorsed any aspirant to succeed him, saying the issue of who would succeed him would be determined by his party, the PDP, and Abia stakeholders.
Orji, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Ajunwa, said such rumour was “a figment of the imagination of the peddlers.
“It has come to the notice of Abia State government about the rumour within and outside the state that His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Abia State, Chief T. A. Orji, has endorsed a governorship candidate for 2015 election.
“Government wishes to state that the said rumour is a figment of the imagination of the peddlers,” the statement said, and described the governor as a democrat who believes in “justice and equity,” he said.
The former Deputy-General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, ASEPA, Aba Zone, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, in his reaction then, said that nobody has endorsed him for the gubernatorial position of Abia State.
Addressing newsmen in his office in Aba then, the inaugural Transition Committee, TC Chairman of Obingwa local government area said that nobody had chosen him and do not need to be chosen to be in the peoples service.
He said that he has taken time to diagnose the problems of Abia State and asked himself what can be his inhibitions.
“I have taken time to diagnose the problems of Abia State and I asked what can be my inhibitions. One is to get God’s backing. Two is to talk to Abians and put myself forward. Three is to convince the stakeholders to accept me.
He continued: “I want Abia people to see my pedigree and see me as one willing to serve. I will also analyse the feelings of those I consulted to know what they think. Until then, I will face ASEPA assignment with all my strength.
“I have not made what I want to do in future known. When I listen to people I feel I have the capacity to run. I have not declared. I am qualified. I am an Ukwa- Ngwa man. For now I will wait until I get the impact of my consultations,” Ikpeazu said.
Ikpeazu has since declared for the gubernatorial race and his ambition has unsettled some quarters. It is on this basis that the three senators in Abia State and other aspirants and some PDP chieftains in the state are agitating and contesting the outcome of last Saturday’s PDP delegates’ congresses in the state.
However, despite the denials by both the adopter and the adoptee, political analysts are not letting go the conviction that Governor has adopted Dr. Ikpeazu to be his successor.
While the governor would want him to be his successor is not yet known, however, his closeness to the governor is not in doubt. Having started out as the Transition Committee Chairman of Obingwa local government council during the past administration of Orji Uzor Kalu, he has tactically worked himself into the political reckoning of the state.
From being the chairman of the Governing Board of the State College of Health Technology, and now the Deputy General Manager of ASEPA, Aba zone, he has been able to go his political ambition quietly.
It is common knowledge that governors in Nigeria do not like handing over to loud and glamorous politicians who they may find difficult controlling, this according to insiders may have informed the governor’s decision to back a less known figure ahead of the galaxy of cerebral politicians from the state who are jostling to succeed him.
Expectedly, the governor’s’ rumoured moves to endorse Dr. Ikpeazu has met with resistance as shown by the recent state congress conducted in the state where some notable politicians in the state have teamed up to oppose it, describing it as charade.
Senators Enyi Abaribe, PDP Abia South, Nkechi Nwaogu, PDP Abia Central, and Uche Chukwumerije, PDP Abia North, have roundly rejected the PDP delegates congresses held in Abia on Saturday describing it as a “charade”.
Part of the statement reads:”Our party members and delegate aspirants on 1st November, 2014 (supposed to be the day of the congresses that never took place) dispersed after 6pm when nobody came to conduct the congress elections”.
According to the statement, the Tony Ceaser Okeke national congress team arrived the State Secretariat of the Abia PDP by 1.20pm and had a meeting with aspirants, delegates and stakeholders who expressed their fears of the plan to hijack the congresses by the Abia State Government executive. The meeting ended at 2.15pm.
The group said that it was worried by the disappearance of the party membership registers of all the 184 wards in Abia contrary to the guidelines for conduct of congresses, adding “the fact was clearly made known to the Abuja panel during the meeting and the panel gave the assurance that the congresses will follow strictly the party’s guidelines and constitution”.
They are insisting that an election as scheduled by the constitution of the party be held as soon as possible within the time line of the 2015 electoral schedule of our great party.
“The charade that took place in Abia had absolutely no remedial features. It is a shameless caricature of democracy, a cruel stab on PDP’s legacy of internal democracy and a crude mockery of our great party’s assurance of a level playing ground.
“The gross aberration of yesterday is unprecedented in executive impunity and the ultimate in anti-democracy conspiracy and fascist fraud,” the statement declares.
From all indications, it would not be smooth sail for Orji to plant his successor because of mounting agitations that are trailing such moves. The rest of the aspirants are demanding level playing field for all contenders to ensure equity and justice. One thing they have vowed to oppose with the last drop of their blood is imposition of any candidate.
The above is not the only river Dr. Ikpeazu would have to cross. About four frontline contenders hail from Ikpeazu’s Obingwa local government area, including his brother- in law and two- time Deputy- Governor of the state, Chief Achor Nwakanma.
But despite the odds, Ikpeazu is one of the highly- favoured aspirants in terms of intellectualism and exhibition of high academic capabilities. His administrative prowess came to the fore when he was appointed the Deputy-General Manager of Abia State Environment Protection Agency, ASEPA.
His vision for the state was captured vividly in one of his addresses to his supporters thus: “Aba is home to virtually all Abians, Ndigbo and has a strong attachment to many others. Re-developing Aba into a modern commercial hub; urban renewal and city upgrading, functional infrastructure, stable power supply, reliable and decent public transportation system, urban traffic management system, structured and planned industrial layouts, clusters and parks, will release her revenue potential that can be leveraged upon to develop the rest of Abia State.
“Aba with its strong entrepreneurial setting, attracting business operators from across the nation and most ECOWAS countries, has the potential to become a commercial and entrepreneurship hub of West Africa.
“We shall enhance international marketing opportunities for made-in-Aba goods and services by ensuring quality control and showcase the made-in-Aba brand in the economic capitals of the world.”
Speaking on his plans for the abandoned Obuaku Industrial zone in Ukwa, Ikpeazu said: “As part of the Aba re-development project plan, we shall undertake the establishment of Obuaku Industrial Zone. The components shall include, but not limited to, a sea port, housing estate.”
Reacting to the stories making the rounds that he lacks the capacity to govern the state, the former university don said, “Before the age of 30, I already had a doctorate degree, in Biochemical Pharmacology. I have been a teacher, and a member of senate of a university. And I have served the Abia State government for over a decade as an active participant.”
With the allegedly blanket free hand given to governors by the national body of the PDP to choose their successors, it is becoming increasingly clear that Governor Orji will have a huge say in who succeeds him and if it turns out that he has endorsed Dr. Ikpeazu as being rumoured, then it means that the former ASEPA man is close to becoming the governor of Abia state.