South-East Past Presidents-General endorse Atiku-Okowa ticket 

The Association of South-East Past Presidents-General (ASEPP) has endorsed the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for the February 25th general elections in the country.

The endorsement was given at the first quarterly General Assembly of the Association on Saturday in Enugu.

Motion for the adoption of the Atiku-Okowa ticket was moved by Deputy Minority Leader House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Toby Okechukwu and was adopted by the whole house.

Okechukwu said over the years, the South-East and the South-South had been pillars of the PDP and contributed immensely to the party’s winning streak, adding that we cannot afford to be relegated to the background.

“So we have resolved to support and vote massively for the party’s Presidential Campaign, Atiku Abubakar and his Vice-Presidential Candidate, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa.

“Governor Okowa is a true representation of an Igbo man and my colleagues are convinced that Okowa has the intelligence and the experience to be Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the lawmaker said.

Former Enugu State Governor, Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo lauded the former Presidents-General for their support assuring that the PDP remains the best party for the Igbos.

He said ASEPP is the heart and the engine of Igboland because they represent every community in Igboland and stressed that when the PDP was formed in 1998, the PDP always won in the South-East and South-South.

Nwodo who is Deputy Director, Research and Strategy of the Atiku-Okowa Presidential Campaign Council, said Okowa has capacity to lead and called on the Igbo race to support the party to rescue and rebuild the country.

At the ceremony, Vice-Presidential Candidate of the (PDP) Dr Ifeanyi Okowa was conferred with the Outstanding Igbo man of the year award in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments in Delta and contributions to nation-building.

Earlier, President of the Association, Mazi Omife Omife said the group would support the emergence of Atiku Abubakar and Ifeanyi Okowa as President and Vice President.

He said as Igbo son, “whoever is fighting you is fighting the Igbos and whoever is supporting you is supporting the Igbos. So we are here to give you support, solidarity and prayers in this election.

“Since the formation of this association four years ago, this is the first time we are giving award to anybody and I am glad that Dr Okowa emerged as Outstanding Igbo Man of the year following due process,” he stated.

Responding, Okowa assured members of the association that the Atiku-Okowa presidency would work with members of the association to promote peace and sustainable development in the zone.

Okowa noted that what is going on in the contemporary Nigerian society was not what Nigerians expected because of the high level of disunity in the country.

He pointed out that the APC led federal government was not fair to the people of South East because, according to him, when they seat in the Security Council, there is no single Igbo man that sits with them.

“I want to promise you that by the grace of God when Atiku Abubakar and myself become President and Vice President, we will work with this association to promote peace and development in the South East.

“What is going on in Nigeria today is not what you and I expected because there is disunity. Why is there disunity? There is disunity because we cannot trust ourselves.

“Why is it that we cannot trust ourselves? We cannot trust ourselves because Nigeria is run in such a way that some parts of Nigeria cannot trust those at the head of the government.

“The APC led federal government as at today, l don’t want to believe that they are fair to the people of South East or the ‘Ndi Igbo’ because when they seat in the Security Council, there is no single Igbo man that sits with them.

“That is not the Nigeria that we expect. There are six geo-political zones and the South East is one of them. If you look at the appointments that have been made, the South East do not occupy any prime position. That obviously, is not the Nigeria that you and l dreamt of,” he said.

The Delta Governor, therefore, urged the people in the South-East not to be obsessed with sentiment, adding that they should vote for the PDP as the party was the only political party among the opposition political parties that have the capacity and potentials to win the presidential election in the country.

“Today, the conversation that we are having is all about sentiments. Sentiment don’t win elections. Elections are won by planning done on the table by people.

“I do not want to play the politics of sentiment but l like to tell people the truth for those who know me. So, we should not waste our votes by voting for a party that will not win election,” Okowa said, even as he reiterated his appeal for Nigerians to vote overwhelmingly for the PDP in the forthcoming general elections.

Meanwhile, Governor Okowa paid a courtesy call on his Enugu State counterpart, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi at Government House, Enugu, where they went into a closed door meeting.

The Vice-Presidential Candidate was accompanied by Senator Ben Ndi-Obi, Deputy Minority Leader House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Toby Okechukwu; Hon. Victor Nwokolo, Hon. Ossai Ossai, Ebonyi State PDP Governorship Candidate Ifeanyi Odii and his running mate Professor Igwe Nwagu among others.