PDP Youth Reap, an organisation of the PDP youth wing, which gave the verdict, noted that Ikpeazu has performed well given the giant strides he has made in transforming Abia in general and the commercial city of Aba, in particular.
Presenting the award to the governor and other PDP chieftains who have distinguished themselves in serving the party, the PDP Youth Reap disclosed that it carried out an independent assessment of the performance of the governor and other recipients.
At the award ceremony held at the St. Finbarr’s Road secretariat of Abia PDP, Chief Charles Ogbonna, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Johnson Onuigbo, the state party chairman, St. Moses Ogbonna, Abia PDP Organizing Secretary, and Charles Nzechi, a business mogul and party chieftain, were all honoured with different awards for their commitment to the growth and success of PDP.
“We carry out an independent assessment of the achievements of various state government and individuals holding political offices,” said Ussien Edemeka, Administrative Secretary, PDP, South South Zone and Protem Secretary of PDP Youth Reap.
“When we came into Abia State, most of these awardees did not know what we were here. We used about three months to do this survey,” Edemeka told newsmen after the award ceremony.
“We were enthusiastic when we entered into the commercial city of Nigeria, not just the South east. When we carried out a survey, we noticed that there has been a significant transformation of the road network by the governor of the state. We went to Aba and a lot of things are happening there in terms of road construction. So the governor has performed very well,” he added.
Ikpeazu, after receiving the award, assured that he would continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of Abia, adding that the state would remain the bedrock of PDP in Nigeria.
“Therefore, go home and assure and reassure the party in Abuja and in the whole Nigeria that Abia remains PDP, that we will not just remain number one in Alphabetical order but we will remain numero uno in terms of support, performance and in terms of being in the vanguard and protection of PDP,” said the governor, who was represented by the Secretary of Abia PDP, Ibe Nwadioha.
Onuigbo was honoured as the Best Performing State Party Chairman, having led the party through a successful local government election where the party grabbed all the elective chairmanship and councillorship position. He dedicated his award to God Almighty, members of the State Executive Committee and the entire staff of Abia State PDP, saying they worked tirelessly to ensure that victory was achieved during the council polls.
“This award shows that whatever we do here, Abuja takes note of it. This award you have given to us today is to spur us into more action and I want to assure you that Abia will remain PDP. Those who are outside will be brought in, our umbrella is so large, it will accommodate everybody,” Onuigbo said.
Also responding, Nzechi promised that other recipients and himself would do all within their reach to make Abia PDP great.
Chairman of the occasion and a former PDP governorship aspirant, Chief Okezie Orji, said awards spur people to do more and urged Abians to pray that the matter involving the governor and Uche Ogah now in the Supreme Court would end in Ikpeazu’s favour to ensure stability and continuity of the positive transformation going on in the state.
