The campaign council of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate for the March 18 gubernatorial election in Abia state, Prof Greg Ibe, Wednesday said it has uncovered a grand plot by the state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu to rig the polls. APGA alleges that Ikpeazu through one of his aides has directed that all the electoral officials assigned to conduct the March 18 polls in the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to lodge in the Abia state Government House in Umuahia, the state capital, for ‘briefings’, News Express has learnt. A text message sighted by News Express expressly mentioned Governor Ikpeazu’s PA (name withheld), from Obingwa West as being directed to oversee the INEC officials’ ‘welfare’. They said to have been accommodated in an undisclosed hotel in Aba, a commercial city in Abia state. Then, the INEC officials proceeded to the Chief of Staff to the governor’s lodge in Umuahia. Further details in the text reads, “Information reaching us today, from the Presiding Officer(PO) and Assistant Presiding Officer (APO1), were called to the Chief of Staff lodge in Umuahia today, 15^th March, 2023 for a proper orientation on how to deceive voters…”

The PGPC therefore urged the voters ahead of the Saturday’s elections to be vigilant and resist any attempt to rig the polls. The council charged the voters to shun electoral malpractice, adding time to rescue Abia state from impunity and godfatherism is now.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court again reaffirmed Prof Greg Ibe as the authentic candidate of APGA in Abia for the 2023 gubernatorial election.

Ibe defeated retired General Ijioma who challenged the party primaries of May 29, 2022 through which Ibe emerged. Ibe had earlier floored Chikwe Udensi and Etigwe Uwa at the apex court.

In a statement signed by the Spokesman of the PGICC, Hon. John Nwokocha, “Prof Greg Ibe is the man to beat in Saturday’s election. His antecedent speaks volume. As an accomplish industrialist, he has already produced a ROADMAP to transforming Abia state, if elected. No other contestant for the governorship has documented agenda for developing the state. The statement by Nwokocha also pointed out that Ibe has vowed to end impunity in governance, and pledged to enthrone and guided by the principles of transparency, accountability, good governance in service to humanity. He also assured on focusing on projects that will benefit all Abians across the state. The statement concluded by calling on all eligible voters in Abia to vote Greg Ibe em-masse at the election, adding that investing their votes in Ibe is the beginning of a new dawn for Abia.

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