By Anayo Okoli

UMUAHIA—AHEAD of 2015 elections, Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State has appealed to aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, aspirants in the recent primaries not to leave the party, arguing that taking such a decision may not be in their interest.

Governor Orji, who addressed an expanded stakeholders meeting of the party at the Women Development Centre, WDC, Umuahia, yesterday, said the party’s umbrella would accommodate every member.

He said: “The mushroom parties are trying to poach from PDP, but you should not fall victim.”

According to Orji, it was late for anybody to dump the party that was in firm control of Abia and embark on an unclear journey with the opposition parties.

The governor admitted that some people might have felt bad over the outcome of the primaries, but reminded them that “there will always be another tomorrow and that with patience somebody who lost out today could become the winner tomorrow.”

He said since the governorship primaries had produced Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu as the party’s candidate, all party members must give him support because “if he wins the election next year, we have all won and if he loses all of us have lost.”

Responding to those who accused him of supporting and sponsoring Ikpeazu, Orji said as the incumbent governor rounding off his tenure, there was no way he would not have an input on who succeeds him.

He, however, reminded the party stakeholders that it was the collective decision of the party that power should shift to Abia South, which he said had divine backing because “God is God of equity and fairness.”