2023: Don’t heat up the polity, I’m still in charge ― Ikpeazu

The Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has expressed his deep concern at the current exchange of political brickbats by politicians and groups over who succeeds him in 2023, describing such exchanges as unnecessary, premature and capable of distracting his administration.

This expression is coming few days after the Ukwa/Ngwa people demanded for another eight years shot at the governorship after Ipeazu might have served his second term in 2023. Ikpeazu hails from that axis of the state.

In a press release endorsed by Sir Onyebuchi Ememanka, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ikpeazu, made it clear to all that he is “still in charge of the State and will not be stampeded out of office by people who want to alter the natural order of things.”

While the Governor appreciated the rights of persons and groups to canvass their political ideas and preferences, he warned that timing was critical in those permutations and that there could only be one governor at any particular time.

He assured that when the time was right, his successor would emerge through a peaceful process of consensus and justice, involving all interest groups in the state, reminding Abians that it is God that anoints leaders.

The Governor added that his preoccupation now “show to continue to deliver more people-oriented infrastructural projects for the people of Abia State, strengthen trade and commerce and keep our people safe,” noting that the question of who succeeds him is definitely not what he was thinking about at the moment.

“This is because if I start in June 2021 to think about my successor in 2023 and begin to hold meetings on the issue, it will be difficult for me to concentrate again and do my work,” he stated.

Governor Ikpeazu appealed to politicians not to allow their rhetorics about 2023 to threaten the peace and tranquillity currently enjoyed in Abia State and advised them to pray to God to give life and good health ahead of the politics of 2023 because only the living and the healthy will play politics by that time.

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