The choice of Professor Eleazar Uchenna Ikonne as the winning candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State is instructive, methodical, empirical, and a proof of the saying that “Hardwork with honesty and solid achievements are virtous assets”.
Only those who do not have the interest of the people at heart will feel gittery, intimidated and fearful about Professor Uche Ikonne’s emergence as the man who will guarantee victory for the PDP in Abia State.
In every capacity Prof. Uche Ikonne has served the society and people, he has always employed his creative ingenuity and brillant developmental ideas to transform such entities and left people yearning for more.
Prof. Ikonne is not a businessman or a politician in the mould of ‘grab-grab-grab’ tendencies. He believes in people and welfare oriented service delivery and can go to every good extent to prove the point that the only three things that matter in leadership or service delivery are the people, their progress and happiness.
We have not forgotten how Prof. Uche Ikonne calmed frayed nerves of staff and students of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, where he served as Rector, on rescue mission. His research and study in the Philippines saw him return to Nigeria as a foremost Optometrist, leading to the establishment of the School of Optometry at Abia State University, Uturu, for the study, research and care of people’s visual challenges.
One thing that counts and matters is for a person who finds himself or herself in a position of rendering services to the people to give his best and be adjudged successful. For example, Prof. Uche Ikonne rose to become, to mention a few, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) for four years and his outstanding success motivated the then outgoing Vice Chancellor, Prof. Chibuzo Ogbuagu to support him as his successor.
Virtually every family in Abia State has or have had, at least one ward as a student of Abia State University who can attest to Prof. Uche Ikonne’s effectiveness in leadership and service during his five years tenure as the Vice Chancellor.
There is another saying among the Igbo, that, “nku a kpara n’okochi ka a ga-anya n’udummiri” ( The fire wood that will be used during the rainy season will be gathered during the dry season).
In other words, the commendations, recommendations, attestations, and testimonials which Prof. Uche Ikonne is riding on today are the result of his solid personal achievements and self-evident, exemplary services rendered by him to people and society in the journey of life.
For the leadership and stakeholders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State to endorse Prof. Uche Ikonne as the man who will lead the party to victory come 2023 point to the fact that they have been empirically observing and studying him long before now. Anyone in the party who fails to join the winning train of Prof. Uche Ikonne does not wish the party and state well.
The candidate who will win the 2023 Governorship election for PDP in Abia State is not the notorious politician; not the big money politician; not those who believe in their money and not in people; not he who thinks of himself only; not the untested in the affairs of the Abians and public service; and not the clanish or divisive jingoist. He is one in the characterization of Prof. Uche Ikonne whose integrity and welfarism in leadership are well known; whose ability to navigate through the challenges of leadership, development and opposition; and still, achieve the desired goals and aspirations of the people are not in doubt;
who is a toast of Abia youths and who is uniquely prepared for the impartial delivery of the dividends of tested, proven, and trusted leadership in capacities that people are oriented.
