National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu, has appealed to leaders of the party in Abia not to allow PDP lose the state in 2023.

Ayu spoke against the backdrop of the crisis rocking Abia PDP over its zoning arrangement for the 2023 governorship ticket.

Ayu, who was in Abia to commission road and hospital projects in Umuahia, said, “I have already talked to the governor and our leaders in Abia to always put heads together and solve their problems.

“We must never lose Abia State. Abia must remain PDP. I received so many letters when the governor asked me to come to Abia to commission these projects. There were so many threats.

“They said I am coming to endorse a particular candidate. Let me make it clear that at the national level, we don’t endorse any candidate. We don’t do zoning for states.

“It is left to Abia people to sit down and discuss their problems. But their problem is our problem because we want Abia to remain a PDP controlled state.

“You must discuss and solve it in a way that will not lose elections in Abia State.”

Ayu equally appealed to Nigerians not to do anything that will allow the military to come back to power.

He noted that Nigeria would fare better under a democratic dispensation than a military government.

“In a democracy, people must be allowed to express themselves and how they feel.

“I started politics from a military regime, if it were in a military regime, you will see soldiers beating members of the party to leave this place.

“I am experiencing a different mindset. I pray and hope that Nigeria will never be ruled by another military regime again. We must continue this democratic journey.”

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu had earlier stated that the target of his administration was to ensure the life expectancy of Abians exceeded the national average.

Ikpeazu, who expressed the hope that the specialist hospital would meet the health needs of children and parents, pledged government’s continued support and partnership with the health facility.

He Abians in the diaspora would be providing technical support to the staff of the facility, adding that the location of the medical facility was strategic because of the presence of central police station to guarantee the safety of visitors and the facility. (Daily Sun)

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