A former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has advised the incumbent Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to join the All Progressives Congress, APC, adding that he will be given automatic ticket to run for the 2019 election.
Kalu said the APC was working hard to win the governorship seat of Abia State in 2019.
According to him, the party will not only win the election, but will win convincingly, “as I have thrown the doors open for all who want to join and become part of its success, including the incumbent, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.”
He added that, “if Ikpeazu joins the party today, he would be made the party’s flag bearer for the 2019 governorship election in the state.”
Orji Kalu said this when he addressed newsmen in his Igbere countryhome yesterday, explaining that the party’s constitution is clear on the issue.
He said any sitting governor who defects to the party gets automatic ticket to contest the election, if he is in his first term.
“We’re working hard to win the governorship seat of the state in 2019 and we’ll win convincingly that I know. What I don’t know is who would be the candidate. But, if the incumbent comes over to our party, he’s going to be the candidate of the party.
“The laws of the party are very clear on it. If the governor comes into the party today, he’s going to get the ticket of the party.”
When asked if the governor in question is making moves to join the APC, Kalu replied that he is not aware of that and pointed out that he has not spoken to the Abia governor in the last two years.
