Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has given kudos to the State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for leading the party through a rancour-free local government election.

The Governor made the commendation during an award ceremony in honour of the chairman, Chief Johnson Onuigbo, held at the party secretariat in Umuahia.

Onuigbo was hounoured by the African Emerging Leadership Research and Development Organization (AELRDO) for being dedicated and sincere in his duties as Chairman of Abia PDP with “Great Prize of AELRDO” award.

Onuigbo, according to the organisation apart from leading PDP to total victory at the poll, ensured that the party was intact, not torn by intra-party squabbles.

AELRDO, as part of its objectives, recognises discipline, integrity; promotes responsible and responsive leadership worthy of emulation, as well as promotes eradication of poverty and ensuring good governance in the African continent through advocacy, mobilisation and leadership development.

At the ceremony, Ikpeazu who was represented by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Barr. Haggler Okorie, noted that Onuigbo demonstrated his managerial competence during the local government election when he navigated the party through teething problems and challenges and kept the party as a united family before, during and after the election.

“We had big divisions as human beings but the capacity and ability of the Chairman to navigate through the teething problems and challenges, it is only the man gifted divinely that can do that,” the Governor remarked.

“Abia is blessed with a very humble man as its party Chairman,” the Governor added.

Presenting the special award to Onuigbo, AELRDO African Regional Head, Dr. Rhuefe Kharse, said it was a major step aimed at identifying the party Chairman as an illustrious son of Abia State and in recognition of his immense contributions to the upliftment of democratic institutions at grassroots, state and national levels.

Kharse revealed that the decision to honour the Abia PDP Chairman with the award was collectively taken in South Africa at the just-concluded leadership meeting of the group, tracing the performance of the Chairman to his family background.

“This achievement is a great testimony of a tested and trusted family he was born into some years back as well as the confidence reposed in him on the very first day in office: that he will discharge the onerous responsibility creditably with the fear of God and love of the people - that he has done – as his tenure had ushered in an achievement expected of an ideal leader far beyond the widest imagination of all party stakeholders both at home and abroad,” Kharse said.

In his speech, the Chairman of the occasion and the State PDP Vice Chairman, Hon. Princewill Onyegbu, harped on the need for people to always appreciate those who distinguished themselves through hard work, adding that it will go a very long way to encourage them to do more.

Onyegbu commended Onuigbo for leading the party to a total victory in the recently conducted council poll despite being in office for just about seven months.

In his acceptance speech, Onuigbo dedicated the award to God Almighty, Gov. Ikpeazu, members of the State Working Committee and staff of the party who worked tirelessly during the local government election.

He said the award would spur him to do more for the party.

The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Charles Ogbonnaya; Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Ukpai Agwu Ukpai; former Special Adviser to the Abia State Governor on Labour Matters, Comrade Lucky Akabuike, among others, witnessed the event.

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