Orji Extends Olive Branch To Opponents

Governor Theodore Orji of Abia has appealed to aggrieved opponents to sheath their swords and work for the victory of PDP to show their love and commitment to the ideals of party.

Orji, reacting to Monday’s judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, said: “as a leader who has the whole state as his constituency, I am ready and willing to carry all along.”

He said in Umuahia on Tuesday that he was happy to win the suit, stressing that, “my victory and the confirmation of my candidature by the court in Abuja couldn’t have come at a better time.

“It has provided the tonic for an invigorated issue-based campaign.

“I am grateful to all my supporters and the PDP in the state for their unflinching support. Do not relent in your efforts to ensure that all candidates of the party emerged victorious in April.

“I am also grateful to the judiciary for its courage, wisdom and careful consideration of all facts adduced by parties in determining who among the contending parties was validly nominated by the PDP as its candidate,” he said.

Thousands of party faithful jubilated in the streets of Umuahia when news of the judgment filtered into the state.

Meanwhile, the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, will inaugurate the Abia chapter of the PDP Women in Politics rally today in Abia.

The statement, signed by Mr. Ralph Igbokwe, the Chief Press Secretary to the wife of Abia Governor, Mrs Mercy Orji, said in Umuahia that the rally would hold at the Township Stadium.

It stated that the wife of the President, who would inaugurate the South-East zonal rally in Ebonyi on March 2, chose Umuahia, her maternal home, because of the love and importance of Abia to her.

It appealed to the people of the state, especially women, to come out en-masse to accord the First Lady a befitting reception.

In a related development, the wife of Abia Governor has appealed to PDP stakeholders in the state to cooperate with her office, to make the campaign a success.

Orji made the appeal while addressing the stakeholders in Umuahia, urging them to provide necessary logistics to ensure a hitch-free programme.