PDP govnorship candidate for Abia state Uche Ikonne die afta a 'brief illness'
Wia dis foto come from, Facebook/Prof Uche Ikonne
Di Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate for Abia state, Prof Uche Ikonne don die.
Di Abia state Commissioner for Trade and Investments John Okiye Kalu confam am say:
"I regret to announce di death of my dear father, Prof Eleazar Uchenna Ikonne, wey die for di National Hospital Abuja today, 25th January 2023 by 4am afta a brief illness.
E bin dey recover afta taking proper treatment for di United Kingdom but relapse a few days ago leading to multiple cardiac arrests wey e no recover from." E tok.
Reports say Prof Ikonne no well for a while now and dem bin never see am for public since November 2022.
Meanwhile, di state Govnor Okezie Ikpeazu don ask PDP leaders and members to remain calm during di period as e ask say make all flags dey lowered and flown at half mast.
"Na wit heavy heart but total submission to di will of God we announce di passing of our Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) govnorship candidate for di 2023 general elections, Prof Eleazar Uchenna Ikonne, wey e sad event take place for di early hours of today for di National Hospital, Abuja, afta a brief illness."
"While we condole with di family of di late Professor of Optometry, di PDP family and Abians in general, we pray God to have mercy on im soul, grant am eternal rest and give everyone affected by im unfortunate demise di fortitude to bear di irreparable loss.
End of Di one wey oda users dey read well well
As a mark of honour to our dear departed brother, I hereby direct say make all flags for Abia State PDP offices dey lowered and flown at half mast while all campaign activities for di party at all levels dey suspended until Monday, 30th January, 2023." E tok.
Wetin di electoral act tok about dis kain mata?
Di issue of Prof Ikonne death don bring up di question as to who go take up im position as di new govnorship candidate of di PDP for di state for di 2023 elections.
According to section 33-34 of di Electoral Act, 2022 as amended, political party no dey allowed to change or substitute dia candidate wey im name don dey submitted under section 29 of dis Act, except for case of death or withdrawal by di candidate :
- Provided say di case of dat kind withdrawal or death of one candidate, di political party wey dey affected, ghatz within 14 days of di occurrence of di event, hold fresh primary election to produce and submit fresh candidate to di commission for di election wey dey concern.
- 34.—(1) If afta di time for di delivery of nomination paper and bifo poll start, one nominated candidate die, di Chief National Electoral Commissioner go, being satisfied of di fact of di death, countermand di poll wia di dead candidate suppose participate and di Commission go appoint some oda convenient date for di election within 14 days.
- (2) Di list of voters wey dem go use for di postponed election go be official voters register wey dem be wan use if dem no postpone di election.
- (3) If afta di polls start and bifo di announcement of di final result and declaration of one winner, any candidate die—
- (a) di Commission go, being satisfied of di fact of di death, suspend di election for one period wey no pass 21 day and
- (b) for case of election into a legislative House, di election go start fresh and di political party wey dia candidate die fit, if dem intend to kontinu to participate for di election, conduct fresh primary within 14 days of di death of dia candidate and submit di name of new candidate to di Commission to replace di dead candidate:
Provided dat for di case of presidential or gubernatorial or Federal Capital Territory Area Council election, di running mate go kontinu wit di election and nominate new running mate.
Who be Uche Ikonne?
Wia dis foto come from, Twitter/@Governorikpeazu
Prof. Uchenna Ikonne na di PDP guber candidate for Abia state for di 2023 elections.
According to a post for im Facebook page, im be a beneficiary of di Scholarship Scheme of di den Imo State Goment, e study Optometry for Manila Central University Philippines wia e obtain di degree of O.D. (Doctor of Optometry) and MHA (Masters in Hospital Administration).
E do a 4-year post-doctoral clinical specialist training and obtain di Fellow of Nigerian College of Optometrists (FNCO) with specialty for Primary Care Optometry.
Dem promote am to Professor of Clinical Optometry for 2006. Professor Ikonne na di Chairman of Optometrist and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board of Nigeria and 7th Vice-Chancellor of Abia State University.
Di late Prof na from Agburuike Nsulu, Agburuezeukwu Autonomous Community, Isiala Ngwa North LGA, Abia state. Professor Uche Ikonne befor em death na di 2023 Abia PDP Govnorship Candidate.
Who be Phillip Okey Igwe?
Wia dis foto come from, Facebook/Chukwuebuka Chijindu Chukwu
Okey Igwe na di deputy govnorship candidate of PDP for Abia state and fit step in to be di flagbearer afta Prof Ikonne death according to di provision of di Electoral Act 2022.
E be lawmaker wey dey represent Umunneochi constituency for Abia State House of Assembly .
Dem born Barr. Phillip Okey Igwe for Amuda Isuochi, Umunneochi LGA of Abia State.
E be di fourth male pikin for one family of five boys and two girls.
Oga Okey Igwe bin start im primary education for im home town but finish secondary school for one school for Onitsha
E study pharmacy for di University of Ibadan (U.I.) wia e spend two years.
For early 2000, Okey Igwe commot Nigeria go di United States of America wia e gbab Bachelors (BA) Degree for Criminal Justice for 2004.
E also gbab certificate for Jurist Doctor (JD) in Law, from North Carolina Central University School of Law for 2009.
Na dia e collect license to practice law for di state of New York for 2010.
E bin practice for some time for New York City bifo e return to Nigeria to kollect Bachelor of Laws (BL) degree from di Nigerian Law School and Nigerian law license for 2011 and 2012 respectively.
Oga Okey no be only lawyer as im also be veteran of US Military afta e serve for four years wit di United States Air Force.
Dem call am to di New York State Bar for 2010 and e be member of di American Bar Association; New York Bar Association, & American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Okey Igwe be di founder and Principal Partner of Lagem Firma & Partners wey be law company.
E be di Executive Director of Chrisnak Group including di trail-di Mainland Oil & Gas.
Oga Okey also be di founder of di pioneer publisher/CEO of Di Oracle Today Newspapers Ltd.
For 2016, e bin contest and win seat of di Executive Chairman of Umunneochi LGA of Abia state.
Wen im tenure as executive chairman end, e kontinu to di state house of assembly wia e unseat di incumbent member wey bin dey dia dat time.
Okey Igwe dey married and get three pikins wit im wife.
