2023: Emenike unveils female running mate, vows to rescue Abia from misrule

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress ,APC, in Abia State, Chief Ikechi Emenike has chosen a woman as his running mate in the 2023 general election, vowing to work with her and other women to rescue the state from bad governance.

The running mate, Rev Gloria Nanya Akara from Ukwa East council area was unveiled Sunday at a meeting of Bende council area APC stakeholders’ meeting at Item.

Emenike, who formally introduced his running mate to the large crowd of party faithful, described her as a lady of faith, a true mother and a loving wife who would add value to the rescue mission of the APC.

He explained that the strategic appointment of a female running mate has placed Abia APC as the only party out of the big four political parties in the state, PDP, APC, APGA and LP, to have put women on the front seat ahead of the 2023 governorship poll.

The APC governorship hopeful further underlined the significance of his choice of Mrs Akara as running mate, pointing out that nobody from Ukwa, the oil bearing area of Abia has been in the executive wing right from the old Imo state.

“It has always been my desire that Ukwa people must be in the political equation of Abia. I didn’t just go to Ukwa for a running mate but got a high quality woman with intimidating credentials, including 40 years of legal practice. Abia women have never had the opportunity to sit in the executive council as deputy governor of the state”.

Emenike explained that with the choice of a woman as deputy governorship candidate, APC has demonstrated that it doesn’t only preach gender equity, but practices it.

He,however, disclosed that he encountered immense pressure in the process of choosing a female running mate, stressing that he had to seek the face of God and through divine inspiration he was able to stick with his decision.

In her acceptance speech, the newly unveiled running mate, Akara, described Emenike’s emergence as the 2023 APC governorship flag bearer of APC as an answered prayer.

Her words; “The people of Abia have prayed and cried to God variously to intervene in the affairs of the state. Being strategically placed by God in Nigeria as an oil producing state and also a well known industrial hub in Africa, Abia deserves much more than it has ever gotten in the course its existence.”

“The emergence of Emenike with a mandate to liberate Abia at this time and in this season is well timed for Abia liberation, transformation, credible, tangible change in several fronts from the basic to the truly kitty issues of governance.”

“I pledge to work with Emenike and support the noble and most laudable cause of rescuing and developing Abia wholeheartedly.”

Earlier ,the state chairman of APC, Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu assured Emenike that Bende council area would live up to its status as a strong base of APC in the state