I was compelled to drop my guber ambition, Says Abaribe

Senator  Enyinnaya Abaribe representing Abia South has pleaded with his constituents especially those of Ukwa Section to support his return to the senate for the third term saying that his bidding was not his decision but that of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and endorsed by the party's Leader and the country's president.

Abaribe who spoke in his country home in Ohuru in Obingwa LGA while addressing an enlarged stakeholders of the Abia South senatorial zone, reminded them that he did not bid to return to the senate in 2015 but had started as far back as 2003 to make known his interest to contest for the state gubernatorial election and actually bought the PDP prescribed Forms earlier in 2014.

According to him, he had to accept the decision of the president for him (Abaribe) to shelve his governorship bid and contest to return to the senate where he was told he would be more needed along with some serving senators whose return was also mooted.

'I am among the 58 senators the party and Mr. President canvassed our return to the senate in 2015 and out of this number, I am among the twelve that scaled through our party/PDP primaries'.

He consequently pleaded with the Ukwa section of the Abia South senatorial zone, who agitate against his return on the premise that 2015 was the Ukwa turn to produce the zone's senator in 2015.

The agitation of the Ukwas was also hinged on that the Ngwa section of the senatorial zone and specifically Obingwa LGA, from which  council Abaribe hails, has also produced Dr Okezie Ikpeazu as  the  PDP guber candidate thus leaving the Ukwa section with none of the two top elective positions.

Assuring the Ukwas, Abaribe said ' I did not purchase Forms for senate but for governor. It was the party and the president that rationalized that I am more needed in the senate. Let me assure our brothers of Ukwa that they will be adequately compensated'.