As the 2023 governorship election draws closer, Abians wait with baited breath to see who emerges their next governor after the 8 years of poor performance of the incumbent governor.

In the opinion of the Rescue Abia Movement, a nonpolitical and nonpartisan group, Abia State cannot afford a repeat of the mistakes of 2015 and 2019 where primordial sentiments took centre stage against competence and capacity. According to the group, Abia is paying dearly for the mistakes of the past two elections

In their remarks, they said, ‘The below-average performance of the current administration in Abia where pensioners are being left to die, where doctors and other healthcare workers have been turned to beggars, where civil servants are now classified as ‘core’ and ‘noncore’, where a few kilometres of roads are constructed with billions of naira, yet they collapse after one rainy season, where the debt profile of the state has risen by over one hundred percent despite humongous federal allocations, internally-generated revenue and grants from the Federal Government and foreign donour agencies, where several Ariaria traders have been compulsorily retired to their villages as a result of the destruction of their shops, where Port Harcourt road has been abandoned despite the tens of millions of dollars obtained as a loan for the construction of the road, are a few examples of the poor performance indicators of the current administration.’

They suggested that if Abia should rise from the doldrums of underdevelopment, there should be a paradigm shift from the old order. While making their choice of Bishop Emeka Nwankpa known, the leaders of the group said, ‘Having carefully and painstakingly checked the antecedents and manifestoes of all the governorship candidates, we are convinced that Bishop Dr Emeka Nwankpa is the man well suited and most prepared for the job. His credibility, level of honesty and antecedents are needed at this critical time in Abia State. His emergence as Abia Governor will mark a defining moment in Abia State.’

They urged all men of good conscience to set aside their political affiliations and queue behind Bishop Emeka Nwankpa who represents new hopes and aspirations for a better Abia.