Fresh Crisis Rocks Abia PDP As Deceased’s Running Mate Cries Out

The running mate of the late Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate in Abia State, Prof. Uche Ikonne,  Phillip Okey-Igwe, has decried the party’s attempt to leave him out of the mandate, insisting that he is the substantive deputy governorship candidate of the party.

AllNews Nigeria earlier reported that Chief Okey Ahaiwe had been elected as the governorship candidate of PDP following the erudite professor's demise.

He agitated after learning that Jasper Uche had been chosen as the running mate to the new PDP governorship candidate in the state, Chief Okay Ahiwe.

Okey-Igwe remains resolute that his candidature is valid judging by the dictates of the electoral act.

In a statement on Tuesday, he called for calm within his camp, insisting that the substitution of his name is a dead-on-arrival cause.

“I wish to use this medium to thank all my supporters, fans and all Abians of goodwill for your phone calls and show of concern in the face of attempted substitution of my candidature as the duly nominated and subsisting deputy governorship candidate of the PDP, Abia State,  for the 2023 elections.

“I have committed my soul, resources and energy to the course of victory for our party since my nomination alongside my late boss.

"My boss died and I have accepted his death, albeit painfully, as the will of divinity.

"Yet, my candidature exists in accord with the constitution and our Electoral Act.

“Indeed, certain entrenched interests opposed to what Prof. and myself represented towards charting the course of a new, sustainable Abia, have arisen against me.”

He added that it is expedient for the party hierarchy to come to terms with him and understand that their attempt to “unlawfully '' subvert his candidature shall fail and render the PDP governorship candidate inchoate.