Abia born technocrat, Dr Kalu Ijioma has emerged as the governorship candidate of the National Rescue Movement (NRM) for the 2023 general elections.
This followed the withdrawal of Lechi, a co-contestant under the platform of the National Rescue Movement and also, the resolve by the leadership of the party to continue with voting after the latter’s withdrawal from the concluded NRM governorship primary election held in Umuahia, the state capital on Sunday.
However, at the end of the well-participated voting exercise by party delegates from the seventeen Local Government Areas of Abia State, and the collation of all results, the NRM Electoral Committee Chairman for Abia, Chief Iro Atunmere declared Kalu Ijioma, as the winner of the governorship primary election conducted in the state.
Atunmere who also doubles as South-East Zonal Financial Secretary of the party said Ijioma polled a total of 230 out of the 234 votes cast by the delegates across the 17 LGAs of the state.
In his acceptance speech shortly after he received the party’s flag from the NRM Abia Chairman, Kenry Ibekwe, Dr Ijioma said it is now time to reposition Abia for a greater future and end the bad governance to give the people the true leadership they yearn for.
The governorship candidate called on the people and residents of Abia State to rally round NRM as it is the party that has come to rescue Abia from the clutches of developmental backwardness.
According to Ijioma, “the narrative of governance of the state will change for the when elected as governor come 2023. We will work to achieve an economically and Infrastructurally stable Abia for the good of our people”.