We are happy God honoured Ikpeazu — Elder Adaelu

Elder Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu, an elder statesman who  represented Abia State at the National Conference in Abuja, is a Stakeholder of Ukwa Ngwa nationality and Chairman, Movement for Aba State creation, In this interview with our Abia State correspondent, ADIELE GOSPEL, expresses joy over the affirmation of the election of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, saying Ukwa Ngwa people have been marginalized for the past 45 years. 

WHAT is your reaction to the victory of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu at the Supreme Court?
I am delighted and grateful to God, feel very happy. I also commend the Supreme Court judges. I was not expecting any thing less than what the Supreme Court did. It is a known fact that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu won the election the first time, INEC conducted re-run he won the opponent took him to the election petition tribunal he won. So all these time at various stages we were happy because God gave me the privileged to be alive to see Ukwa Ngwa man become Governor. We worked very hard with all the traditional rulers and the people of Ohangwa Aba Union. We have desired this for many years and this time God heard our prayer. I was not worried when the Appeal Court gave the judgment because I was so sure that the Supreme Court will correct the mistakes and injustice of Owerri Appeal Court.
The entire Ukwa Ngwa land, the Traditional Rulers, the people of all professions our communities and villages are very happy. If we have any other way of expressing our joy, we would have done so but as human beings the only means of expressing our joy is through verbal expression.

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How would you describe Governor Ikpeazu and his performance in Abia?
Okezie is God gifted Governor of Abia State. Like as I said before, we worked very hard to change what appeared to be a curse, ourselves on the side of Okezie Ikpeazu and our other brothers on the side of Dr. Alex Otti we were praying to the same God, but at the end God decided to honour Okezie Ikpeazu, as our popular candidate. Before the Supreme Court judgement, Governor Ikpeazu had embarked on massive construction of roads in Aba and other parts of the state. He was not deterred by the legal battle.

Now that the battle is over, what would be your message to the oppositions?
They should remain calm; realize that politics is like football game only one team will win. Brother Otti is not a bad man, what he did was to express his ambition and he carried the legal battle down to the Supreme Court level and lost. Brother Allex Otti should come back and work with his brother Okezie Ikpeazu if he had the development of the state at heart. In addition I also want Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to carry everybody along in his administration during the Biafra/Nigeria Civil War the OAU looked at the struggles and declared both sides no victor no vanquished. But in this case I will say there is victor.

As an Elder state man what would be your message to Abians now the election battle is over?
Abians should calm down whether winners or losers all of us are one. There will be no two Governors in one state. The people of Ukwa Ngwa have stayed many years without rising up to this level. I can recall that from the regime of Dr M.I Okpara till this time I have recorded over 45 years that we have been marginalized. This time we negotiated with our brothers from other zones of Abia State. Both Dick, Tom and Harry agreed particularly people of good will also agreed that it should be the turn of Abia South senatorial zone to produce the next Governor. It was given to us through the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) they zoned the Governorship to our Abia South people. As at the time of this zoning, we did not have any opposition, but suddenly brother Otti joined All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) thereby we now have opposition. APGA was not popular until brother Otti joined the party. By the Supreme Court judgement the battle is over. All Abians should join hand with the Governor for the development of the state.

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Which areas would you like the Governor to improve upon in the state?
The Governor has a lot of work to do because this area called Abia South has witnessed many years of underdevelopment. However, this is the time God has brought a man in the person of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu to make things happen. My advice is that he should go into rural communities and villages and give them what they want. If the resources are not available, he should go and borrow money. To whom much is given much is also expected. I am praying to God that he should not lack the resources to implement his development projects because Abians want to witness massive infrastructural development. He should not concentrate in Aba alone he should also develop the 17 Local Government Areas of Abia State.
However, he should remember that his zone has been marginalized for the past 45 years so he has to do something to improve the condition. If he does so his name will be written in the gold then is second term will be realizable.