All Progressives Congress, APC governorship candidate in Abia State, Chief Ikechi Emenike has chosen a woman,  Rev Gloria Nanya Akara as his running mate for the 2023 governorship  election


Emenike, who presented Rev Akara from Ukwa East LGA on Sunday  during a meeting of Bende LGA  APC stakeholders’ meeting at Item described her as a lady of faith, a true mother and a loving wife who would add value to the rescue mission of the APC.


According to him,  the strategic appointment of a female running mate has placed Abia APC as the only party out of the big four political parties in the state, PDP, APC, APGA and LP, to have put women on the front seat ahead the 2023 governorship poll.


Emenike  further underlined the significance of his choice of Mrs Akara as running mate, pointing out that nobody from Ukwa, the oil bearing area of Abia has been in the executive wing right from the old Imo state.


“It has always been my desire that Ukwa people must be in the political equation of Abia. I didn’t just go to Ukwa for a running mate but got a high quality woman with intimidating credentials, including 40 years of legal practice. Abia women have never had the opportunity to sit in the executive council as deputy governor of the state. APC is promising something positively new in Abia", he said


Emenike also explained that with the choice of a woman as deputy governorship candidate, APC has demonstrated that it doesn’t only preach gender equity, but practices it.


In her acceptance speech, the newly unveiled running mate, Akara, described Emenike’s emergence as the 2023 APC governorship flag bearer of APC as an answered prayer.


Her words; “The people of Abia have prayed and cried to God variously to intervene in the affairs of the state. Being strategically placed by God in Nigeria as an oil producing state and also a well known industrial hub in Africa, Abia deserves much much more than it has ever gotten in the course its existence.


“The emergence of Emenike with a mandate to liberate Abia at this time and in this season is well timed for Abia liberation, transformation, credible, tangible change in several fronts from the basic to the truly kitty issues of governance.


“I pledge to work with Emenike and support the noble and most laudable cause of rescuing and developing Abia wholeheartedly.”