The Member Representing Isiala Ngwa North State Constituency and the former speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Martins Okechukwu Azubuike, has formally declared his intention to contest the Governorship seat of Abia State come 2019 under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC)

The former speaker addressed a mammoth crowd of APC ward and LGA Executives, stakeholders and party faithful at an event held in his country home, Nbawsi Umuomainta, Isiala Ngwa North L.G.A Abia State.

Explaining why he decided to serve the state at that level, Rt. Hon Azubuike enumerated several reasons why Abia needs a change and buttressed it with his legislative experience as a third term lawmaker, one time Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Deputy National Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria and his sound academic background as a Legal Practitioner, which he said, have all exposed him to the myriad of problems confronting the state, assuring he has the political will to clean up the mess in the state, the temperament of a leader and the fear of God to restore the lost dignity of Abia State and return it to the part of growth and create the enabling environment for job creation, infrastructural development, prompt payment of salaries of civil servants and pensioner’s and challenged Abians to find out from Abia State House of Assembly workers his character content as a member of the legislature and later while he served as the speaker.

In their contributions; the state Legal Adviser of APC Barr. Menyechi Onuoha, a former commissioner in Abia State, Barr. Obilor Nwatu, Hon. Dennis Chuks Amanahu, Hon Azubuike Enweremadu, Hon Endy Ogalabu, Hon. Mrs. Rose Onyendilefu all spoke in favour of his aspiration, describing him as a man of impeccable character, emphasising that with his intellectual acumen, cognate experience as a quintessential lawmaker and a man full of humility, integrity and moral clarity who can restore the lost glory of the state, stressing that he is indeed the best to provide the kind of leadership Abia deserves at this critical point in the life of the state that seriously needs a new direction for growth and rebirth.

The high point of the declaration was the moving of a motion by the State Legal Adviser, Barr. Menyechi Onuoha for APC Isiala Ngwa North Chapter, to adopt Rt. Hon. Martins Azubuike as their sole candidate for 2019 Governorship election and was seconded by Barr. Obilor Nwatu.

After the adoption, the APC ward chairman, Nbawsi Umuomainta ward, Chief Chima Nwambuko formerly presented Rt. Hon. Azubuike to the APC Local Government Chairman, Hon. Endy Ogalabu and the adoption was confirmed with a voice vote.