{"id":95987,"date":"2022-06-14T17:04:55","date_gmt":"2022-06-14T16:04:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=95987"},"modified":"2022-06-14T17:04:55","modified_gmt":"2022-06-14T16:04:55","slug":"2023-abia-group-wants-pdp-to-field-okiyi-kalu-as-deputy-governorship-candidate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/2023-abia-group-wants-pdp-to-field-okiyi-kalu-as-deputy-governorship-candidate\/","title":{"rendered":"2023: Abia Group wants PDP to field Okiyi-Kalu as deputy governorship candidate\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<div dir=\"auto\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">As the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)\u00a0 in Abia State concludes arrangement to field a running mate to her governorship candidate, Prof. Uche Ikonne, a political group in the state, Movement for Abia Unity and Progress, (MAUP) has called on the party\u00a0 to field the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, as the deputy governorship candidate in the 2023 election.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pointblanknews.com gathered that the PDP zoned the deputy governorship position to the Abia North senatorial zone as Ikonne hails from Abia Central senatorial zone.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">Most chieftains of the party in the state are said to have protested an alleged pact zoning the position to Umunneochi LGA, an APC stronghold in the state.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">The group said Ikonne needs an energetic young man to pair him as running mate, stressing that Okiyi -Kalu perfectly fits the bill as he has garnered the necessary experience in governance.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a statement by the group signed by its President, Comrade Chidiebere Nwachukwu and Secretary, Mr. Evurulobi Michael, MAUP disclosed that it has assessed the profiles of people rumoured to be interested in the position and discovered that Okiyi-Kalu possesses the right qualities to emerge the deputy governorship candidate in the 2023 election.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0\u201cThe PDP candidate, Prof. Uche Ikonne, needs a youthful running mate who will work with him to develop and sustain the existing peace in the state. The PDP needs a deputy governorship candidate with experience, integrity, maturity and level headedness. Our group has assessed the profiles of people from Abia North zone believed to be interested in the deputy governorship position. Chief John Okiyi Kalu\u2019s name stands tall above his competitors. His integrity, wealth of experience, level headedness and maturity places him above others. Chief Okiyi -Kalu\u2019s popularity among the youths of the state is an added advantage.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cHis stewardship as Commissioner for Information was outstanding. Since his redeployment to the Ministry of Trade and Investment, Chief Okiyi Kalu has added value to Governor Ikpeazu\u2019s administration. His loyalty and commitment to assist the Governor succeed has been a plus for the administration. Chief John Okiyi Kalu is an asset to the Ikpeazu administration. There is no doubt that he will add great value to the PDP governorship ticket if fielded as running mate for the 2023 election.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cAbove all, Chief John Okiyi Kalu hails Ohafia LGA which is one of the highest voting blocs in Abia North senatorial district. So, it is traditional that the party picks its deputy governorship candidate from Ohafia LGA,\u201d the statement read.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0The group which has its membership across the 184 wards of the state disclosed that it has embarked on an intensive campaign to mobilize support for an Ikonne\/Okiyi -Kalu ticket in the 2023 general elections.<\/div>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)\u00a0 in Abia State concludes arrangement to field a running mate to her governorship candidate, Prof. Uche Ikonne, a political group in&hellip;<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":95988,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-95987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.8 - 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