Bishop Sunday Onuoha of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has been unveiled as the Consensus Governorship Candidate of Abia North for the 2023 General Election in the state by the Abia North Political Projects Advocacy Group.
The Group formed by sons and daughters of the zone is the political mouthpiece of Abia North people with the mandate to ensure that the next Governor of Abia State is from the Zone in line with the Abia Charter of Equity propounded by the Founding fathers of the state.
Speaking at a Press Conference in Umuahia, the Director General, Abia North Political Project and Team Leader Abia North Consensus Governorship Candidate Screening Committee,Dr Uduma Nnate, said the assessment template adopted by the committee for candidates were based on capacity, credibility, competence, sound health, political party and knowledge of good governance.
He disclosed that six candidates including APGA candidate,Prof Greg Ibeh Chief Mascot Uzor Kalu of the APP, Dr Ngozika Ogbuneke of the SDP,Arch. Ndukwo Anagha of the APM, as well as NRM Candidate, Chief Kalu Ijioma “invited the team for screening in their homes”.
According to Dr Nnate, Bishop Onuoha met the selection criteria of the committee members drawn from the five LGAs of Abia North as well as Elders from Abia North including Dr. Eme Okoro,Gen Ike Nwachukwu,Prof Ume Elazu,Prof Chris Amah among others stakeholders from the zone.
He said: “After the Primaries, we discovered that 10 out of 18 political parties gave their party Governorship ticket to Abia North Son or daughter. It became obvious that as a people, we cannot go for the Governorship election in 2023 with 10 candidates at the same time and expect to win or a miracle to happen.
“We had to set up a screening committee that will among other things consider the chances, capacity, creditability, competence, political party and individual contact network of the different candidates from Abia North and select one.
“It is important to note that all our governorship candidates in all the parties are qualified and met our selection criteria but we must present only one person. It is also important to note that other groups and establishments are narrowing down and adopting our consensus governorship candidate.
“Our consensus candidate after all due considerations of capacity, integrity, sound health, manifesto and knowledge of good governance is Bishop Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha of the ADC Party. What we have put down is with the clear mandate of stakeholders of the zone”.
Dr.Nnate therefore pleaded with other candidates who were not chosen to rally round the consensus candidate for Abia North, Bishop Onuoha and ensure victory for the overall interest of zone and the state in general.
In his contribution, the Convener, Abia Infrastructural Mandate, Mr Odoh Ijere while expressing hope that Bishop Onuoha would enjoy acceptance by Abians, urged other candidates to realign and support him.
He said: “Going by the Abia Charter of Equity, Abia North is supposed to produce the next Governor of the state.
“We are looking to rewrite the story of Abia and in doing that, we all must sacrifice to allow someone that has wide acceptance and credibility emerge”.
