Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, on Sunday had a taste of the resentment pervading the state, when angry residents in Aba revolted, booing and pelting him as well as his associates with sachet water.

This is coming a few days after youths from Ukwa, in Abia South Senatorial District, shut down oil wells in the area in protest of Ikpeazu’s candidacy, claiming that they were shortchanged.

Trouble stated for Ikpeazu, at the climax of the annual Half Marathon organised by a local radio station, at Enyimba Stadium in Aba, when some PDP supporters tried to hoist his banner.

It was gathered that this had attracted opposition from the crowd, shouting: “No, no, no; we don’t want him; No, no, no; we don’t want him; he is not our choice for the governorship; he is not our choice for the governorship.”

This vehement opposition by the crowd, it was gathered, stalled the hoisting of Ikpeazu’s banner, as the people openly threatened to shut down the stadium if the contrary was done.

When it appeared that everything was over and the master of ceremony began to recognise dignitaries, the crowd went wild when the name of Ikpeazu, who was seated at the VIP stand of the stadium, was mentioned. The crowd started booing again and shouting: “We don’t want him; we don’t want him; we don’t want him; go away, go away, go away.”

Also, when the name of Senator Enyinnaya Abiribe, who got automatic ticket to return to the Senate for the third time, was mentioned, the crowd also booed.

Ikpeazu, who was dazed by the crowd’s reaction, was to face a more embarrassing situation when he was leaving the stadium. The crowd shifted attention at him and surged forward, pelting his convoy with sachet water, booing and shouting: “Go, go; we don’t want you; go, go; we don’t want you.”

It took the effort of security personnel attached to the PDP governorship candidate to shield him from being physically assaulted.

•Excerpted from a Daily Sun report. Photo shows Abia PDP guber candidate Okezie Ikpeazu.

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