2015: Why Ndi-Abia are rallying for Ikpeazu By Charles Ajunwa In less than two months, Nigerians would be going to the polls across the country to elect who they wanted to lead them in the next four years of this democratic dispensation. In Abia State, the scenario would not be different. With the opposition politicians in other political parties who have shown interest to contest in the election for the governorship position, Ndi-Abia have shown that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state have a better choice in Dr. Okezie Victor Chibuikem Ikpeazu (PhD) than anybody who has shown interest. Ikpeazu was overwhelmingly elected by the PDP delegates in the party’s primary that took place on December 8, 2014. As we know, Ikpeazu who was the winner in that primary was never of the opinion of leaving the losers behind. As a team player, he believes in team work for the betterment of Abia State, which he believes is greater than any individual or organization no matter how highly placed. As a transparent man, Ikpeazu would not have been in harmony with the result of the primary if it was not adjudged as free, fair and transparent. However, Nigerians knew that my boss, Governor Theodore Ahamefule Orji detached himself from meddling in the primary election but allowed the delegates to decide through their votes whom they wanted to hold the party’s flag in the state and, their votes said that Ikpeazu was the answer. I must thank my boss for playing a level ground politics in the state, where he has shown maturity beyond and allowed all interested participants and contestants count. It is normal that where there is the victor some persons will posit themselves as the vanquished. Nevertheless, Ikpeazu has never seen anybody who lost in that election as a vanquished; he has been seeing everybody who contested in that primary as a winner in their own right. He was into this line of thought because there would be no way that the state would have gotten to this level in terms of development if not for the collective efforts and team work of Ndi-Abia, which was being superintended by my boss – Governor Orji – who had always meant well for the state and Abia people. As the maxim goes that a prophet is not recongnised in his home town, it is not true with the people of Umuebere in Umuobiakwa Village, Isialaukwu Mbato Autonomous community, Obingwa Local Government Area, Abia State, where Dr. Okezie hails from. As a Christian, his father and mother who were late Pa. Ishmael and deaconess Bessie Ikpeazu instilled great principles in the junior Ikpeazu which have endeared him to his people. If he was a loafer, his people would not have been in the expression of happiness since he picked the PDP’s ticket to contest in the February 28 governorship election. What this means is that what Dr. Ikpeazu picked was the party’s ticket but the entire Abia people are solidly behind him at the forthcoming polls, and not only the party was going to vote for him. The accolade he is enjoying today is because he has served in different capacities with the government of Abia State. As the Deputy General Manager of the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA), Aba Zone, Abia people have attested to the fact that Ikpeazu performed immeasurably, better than his predecessors. Against that influence, he has no comparison because Ndi-Abia know that he is versatile, experienced and skilled in any position he found himself. The master plan of how to take Abia State to the next level is in Ikpeazu’s head and palm. He has got the experience and exposure. Let it not be repeating what majority Abia people knew: Ikpeazu is a bridge builder who changed Abia State Passengers Integrated Manifest and Safety Scheme (ASPIMSS) as the general manager. What did he do with that? The government benefits from the outcome of that transformation, as the policy he initiated has become a money spinning venture for the government. Analysts had clamoured that Ikpeazu is the best thing that could happen to the state in the next dispensation because he knows how to transform policies to benefit both the government and the individuals without either of the party shouting hoax. Look at what he did as the Deputy General Manager in Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) Aba Zone in 2013. The day-to-day sanitation of the area was unprecedented that people from far and near are still appraising the feats he achieved till date. Academically, Dr. Okezie Victor Chibuikem Ikpeazu, Ph.D, is sound, being a renowned biochemist. Apart from being a teacher he is also a Public Servant, who is highly reverenced. Born on October 18, 1964, Dr. Ikpeazu attended Amaise Central Primary School, Umuobiakwa. Those who are close to him said that in 1973, while in primary five, he gained admission into Eziama High School, Aba and later moved to Ihie High School, Isiala Ngwa. At this place, he took his School certificate examination in 1979. At the age of 16 in 1980, he gained admission into the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) to study Clinical Biochemistry and graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons.) Second Class Upper Division in August, 1984; from there till August 1985, Dr. Ikpeazu served as a clinical biochemist in the medical laboratory of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) Port Harcourt for his national youth service. The source said that he returned to the University of Maiduguri for an M.Sc degree in Biochemical Toxicology and graduated in 1990. At the age of 30, in 1994, he obtained a doctorate degree, Ph.D in Biochemical Pharmacology from the University of Calabar. .Ajunwa is the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Abia State
Posted on: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 07:01:09 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015