The presidential candidates of the PDP and LP, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi respectively have expressed sadness on the death of the PDP Abia State governorship candidate, Professor Uche Ikonne.
Newsonline reports that Atiku and Obi – who were both presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the PDP in 2019 election – in their different condolence messages described the death of Ikonne as great loss.
In his condolence message on Wednesday, the Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party presidential candidates consoled with Abia State governor Okezie Ikpeazu, the state chapter of PDP and Ikonne’s family for the loss.
Atiku said “Prof Ikonne was an erudite scholar of repute with vast experience in administration, whose contributions to advancing knowledge within the academic community will be appreciated by generations unborn.
“I recall my last encounter with Prof Ikonne vividly when he led a delegation of Abia PDP stakeholders to my residence in Abuja. He, Prof Ikonne, was at his intellectual best in the course of the robust discussion that I had with his delegation,” he added.
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“We shall miss his ever-smiling face, wit and sense of humour, which always stood him out.
“I express my deepest condolences to his immediate family, all PDP members in Abia State and the government and good people of Abia state, who were working on voting him into power next month,” the former vice president added.
In respect of the late Ikonne, Peter Obi, has announced the postponement of his slated Labour Party presidential campaign which ought to be held on 31st January.
In his statement, the former governor of Anambra State said, “I was shocked to read the sad news of the death of Prof. Uche Ikonne, the Peoples Democratic Party’s Governorship Candidate in Abia State.
“I sincerely commiserate with the Abia State Governor, H.E. Okezie Ikpeazu; the PDP Family and the entire people of Abia State on this very sad development.
“May God Almighty, who called him home grant him eternal rest in His Kingdom, and grant his immediate family, and the good people of Abia state the fortitude to bear his irreplaceable loss.
“In deference, we have postponed our Labour Party’s Presidential Rally in Abia state, earlier scheduled for 31st January to 4th February, to allow a week of mourning for the deceased.
“May God Almighty continue to protect and bless the good people of Abia State, and our nation Nigeria.”
Until his death, Professor Uche Ikonne was the governorship candidate of the PDP, the ruling party in Abia State. He, however, has a strong opponent, Alex Oti, Labour Party governorship candidate.
With Ikonne’s death, the PDP has a period of 14 days to reconduct an election for the replacement of the late candidate in line with the new electoral act.
