Progressives waiting for you, Lawan tells Ikpeazu

Senate President Ahmad Lawan yesterday told Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu that the progressives in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are waiting to receive him into their fold.

Lawan hailed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor, saying he was already a progressive in his heart and actions.

The Senate President spoke in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, at a grand civic reception in honour of the Executive Secretary of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), Prince Paul Ikonne.

Lawan was in the state on the invitation of Governor Ikpeazu to inaugurate a factory, Enyimba Automated Shoe Company (ENASCO), at Obingwa, near Aba.

At a reception at Abia State Polytechnic in Aba, the Enyi 1 of Aba Ancient Kingdom and Prince Ikonne’s father, HRM Eze Issac Ikonne, conferred on Lawan the chieftaincy title of Onye Ntukwasi Obi (The Dependable One) in recognition of his “highly exemplary leadership qualities, meritorious service to Nigeria”.

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Responding to the conferment of the title, Lawan said: “I want to say a little about our governor here, our friend. One of the earlier speakers said the governor will go to the Senate in 2023. Amen…

“Your Excellency, I want to thank you for the opportunity to be here with you. I have listened to the remarks of Prince Ikonne on your relationship with him and I have also listened to your remarks on the relationship.

“The relationship is a progressive relationship; the relationship that is blind to differences, especially in political persuasions. But all of you are wide awake and alert to one major responsibility: to make the lives of the people here in Abia State better. And that is what we need to do everywhere.

“Your Excellency, before you go to the Senate, it doesn’t matter how we are able to work to get ourselves into a progressive forum. You are already a progressive at heart. You are a progressive in action. Your Excellency, the progressive forum is waiting.”