A group of prominent politicians from the state, known as the Concerned Elders Forum of Abia State, led by a former Senate President, Chief Adolphus Wabara, and Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, had, after a meeting in Abuja on Monday, declared their support for Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
The Abia Concerned Elders Forum faulted the judgement of an Abuja Federal High Court, presided by Justice Okon Abang, which sacked Ikpeazu from office.
The meeting of the Concerned Elders Forum, which held in Abuja, was reportedly attended by serving senators from the state, including former governor Theodore Orji, (Abia Central,) Mao Ohuabunwa, (Abia North) and Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South).
Others at the meeting included Wabara, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, Empire Kanu, Ugochukwu, HRH Eze Ngozi Nwoko, Prof. S. O. Igwe, Uzoma Nkem Abonta, Prof. Herbert O. Orji, HRH Eze J. O. Akaliro, HRH Eze Dr. Eberechi Dick; and HRH Eze P. M. Okponku, among others.
But the crisis has taken a new turn as another group, comprising community leaders, village heads and titled chiefs, has endorsed Ogah.
The new group disowned the Abia Concerned Elders, saying they could not speak for Abians.
The community leaders and titled chiefs from different towns in the state backed Ogah at a meeting at Ogah’s Campaign Office in Umuahia.
A communique issued at the end of the meeting said the masses of Abia State “are yearning” for Ogah, contrary to the impression given by the Concerned Elders Forum.
The nine-point com-munique, which was read by the Traditional Prime Minister of Ibeku Kingdom, Chief Uche Akwukwuegbu, urged members of the public to disregard the position of the Concerned Elders Forum.
The community leaders described the elders as “those who have contributed in no small measure to the collapse and stunted growth of Abia State.”