The All Progressive Grand Alliance’s governorship candidate in Abia State, Prof. Gregory Ibe, said he entered the race because of the state’s chronic underdevelopment. He warned that the situation in Abia—unpaid salaries, pensions and gratuities, coupled with roads that have become death traps—could anger any resident. Ibe made these remarks on Saturday in Umuahia, the state capital, during a meeting with leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Abia.
He explained that his desire to effect societal change led him, as a private individual, to establish the Gregory Lyke Foundation in 1991, the year Abia was created. “God prospered my handiwork. I quietly began to partner with government on social interventions in education, health, infrastructure and sports. You recall one such partnership during the COVID‑19 lockdown,” he said. Observing that those in power lacked the ability to develop the state, Ibe decided to leave his comfortable technocratic role and “step into the dirty waters of politics” to help his people.
Ibe, who currently consults for 15 ECOWAS Commission member states, the World Bank, the United Nations, and seven federal ministries, said he is willing to sacrifice all that for the liberation of his people from underdevelopment. He also noted that his ambition to govern Abia has drawn the ire of the state’s political class, which he claims has spread false rumors and launched attacks against him. “They attacked my health with juju, circulated lies that I have been amputated, falsified a WAEC certificate and claimed it was mine, and alleged I am sponsored by former governor T.A. Orji,” he alleged. He added that opponents have funded legal actions against him, but “the God of Ndi Abia said NO,” and he remains protected.
Looking ahead, Ibe said the “new Abia” he envisions after May 29, 2023 will leave no person or community behind, with development spreading from the South, Central, and North through innovative projects in every local government area, as outlined in his manifesto. One of his first priorities, he announced, will be the release and rehabilitation of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, a task he expects to undertake with the support of Senator Abaribe and collaborators in the United Nations.
In response, CAN State Chairman Apostle Emmanuel Agomuo assured Ibe that the church will continue to pray for a peaceful election and the state’s development. He urged Abia residents to turn out in large numbers to fulfill their civic duty in the upcoming governorship election and to vote for their chosen candidate, expressing hope that no political party will rig the poll.
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