By LEONARD OKACHIE

APC chieftains and supporters in Abia trooped out in their numbers in Umuahia on Wednesday to welcome Chief Uche Ogah, who was declared the rightful Gubernatorial Candidate of the party for 2023.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a Federal High, Abuja on Friday invalidated Chief Ikechi Emenike’s candidacy.

Justice Binta Nyako nullified the indirect mode of primary election that produced him.

Nyako also declared the former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development as the duly elected Abia APC Governorship Candidate.

The Acting Chairman of Ogah’s faction of the party, Chief Goldie Wabara, led other members of his executive to welcome the governorship hopeful at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri.

Ogah, who came into Umuahia in a long motorcade filled with jubilant party members, drove through Okpara Square to his Campaign Office on Umuwaya Road, Umuahia, via Isi-Gate.

He was received at the office by a large crowd of party stalwarts and supporters from the 17 local government areas of the state.

In a speech, Ogah thanked them for their support, steadfastness and prayers which, according to him, had been rewarded with victory.

He urged them to be prepared for the task ahead, assuring them that APC would sweep out the PDP-led government in the 2023 poll.

He said that the more than seven years administration of Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu had brought untold sufferings to the people.

He cited the non-payment of workers’ salaries, pensions and gratuities of retirees as and when due and huge infrastructure deficit as major challenges facing Abia.

He promised to tackle them and make Abia great, if given the mandate.

In a brief interview with newsmen, Ogah described the judiciary as the last hope of the common man and bastion of democracy in the country.

He promised that his candidacy would deliver victory to APC “because I am loved by the people.

“Abia people believe in me because they know that I have the capacity, competence and character to transform Abia to greatness, in line with the dreams of its founding fathers,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Court ordered INEC to replace Emenike’s name with Ogah’s as the duly elected candidate.

NAN reports that Abia APC had been torn apart by protracted leadership crisis, leading to the emergence of two factions and parallel primary elections that produced Ogah and Emenike, respectively. (NAN)

Update news