Deputy Speaker of the Abia state House of Assembly, Chief Asiforo Okere and Leader of the House, Chief Chidiebere Nwoke have lost out of their bid to return for a fourth term to the House.
Okere who represents Ukwa East state constituency was said to have stepped down as stakeholders of the constituency including ex senate president, Adolphus Wabara, former Rep member and now chairman of the Abia State Oil Producing Area Development Commission, Chief Emeka Stanley, amongst others insisted that he must give way after representing the constituency for 12 years with nothing to show for it.
Loading ...Sources said Okere made spirited efforts to stage a comeback on the day of the party primaries. A party chieftain in the area who chose to remain anonymous told 247ureports.com that the deputy Speaker almost hijacked the officials who were scheduled to organize the primaries, but was stopped at the last minute.
According to him,” Everybody including delegated waited endlessly at the Azumiri Central school, Azumiri but reports kept coming that Asiforo Okere has hijacked the officials but Chief Adolphus Wabara and Emeka Stanley said it would be over their dead body. They insisted that Asiforo Okere must face the primaries and fail because he is no longer party. His 12years at the House has only resulted to his gain and that of family.”
He further stated that the primaries were rescheduled for 2pm yesterday (Monday), but Okere decided to step down when he realized that the people were against him.
House Leader and member representing Umuahia East state constituency was got a pill of the bitter medicine as he succumbed to pressures to step down having represented the area for three consecutive terms. On those three occasions, he ran against Chief Chukwudi Apugo, a scion of the Apugo dynasty who will now fly the PDP flag at the polls. To avoid an impending defeat, Nwoke who was seeking a fourth term where he was said to have told his supporters that he has his eyes on the Speakership position in 2015, stepped down at the day of the primaries.
Hon. Ikechukwu Nwabeke who is the Chief Whip of the House also failed to get the party ticket as he was defeated by little known Bishop Kennedy Njoku. Nwabeke who represents Osisioma Ngwa North state constituency was allegedly upstaged by some stakeholders in the area including the state deputy chairman of the party, Chief Allen Nwachukwu over irreconcilable differences.
Others who lost include Chidi Nwosu(Umuahia South), Princewill Onuoha (Obingwa East), Mba Ukaha(Ohafia South), Ikedi Ezekwesiri (Umunneochi) and Chukwuemeka Osoagbaka (Ikwuano).
