Abaribe joins 2023 Abia governorship race

The Minority Leader of the Senate, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has confirmed he will contest in the 2023 governorship poll in Abia state, Top Naija reports.

Abaribe revealed this at an event organised in his honour by Nzuko Ahiaba La Abayi in Ahiaba, Obingwa LGA of the state, on Monday.

Speaking at the event, Abaribe said he had informed Okezie Ikpeazu, governor of Abia, of his decision to run for the governorship race in 2023.

“As an Igbo man, I respect constituted authority. I believe the number one citizen of the state should know and I have paid him that respect,” Abaribe said.

“I have let him know and by extension, the people of Abia, and I am telling the people of Abia to look forward to seeing me in charge in Abia state come 2023.

“This is a special occasion. I have been in politics since 1998. I have been in and out of politics and even gone to DSS custody because of Nigeria. This is the first time a civic reception is being organised for me.

“This occasion is significant because it is coming from my ancestral home and shows that they are saying that they are proud of my antecedents, achievements and that I deserve a title.”

On June 22, 2018, Abaribe was arrested by the Department of State Security Services (DSS) at his barber shop located at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja for his alleged links with the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) being one of the sureties to the IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, he was taken to his house for a search and was later taken to the DSS detention in Abuja. He was released the next Tuesday,26 June 2018 on bail.