2027: APC aspirant picks Senate forms, targets Abaribe’s seat

 

The contest for the Abia South Senatorial District seat ahead of the 2027 general elections has intensified, as a former governorship candidate, Prince Paul Ikonne, has picked the All Progressives Congress (APC) nomination forms.

 

Ikonne, who obtained his expression of interest and nomination forms on Wednesday, declared that the incumbent senator, Enyinnaya Abaribe, should prepare to exit the National Assembly, citing what he described as years of ineffective representation.

 

He said his ambition was driven by the need to deliver purposeful leadership and attract development to Abia South.

 

“If you are familiar with Senator Abaribe, you will realise that he is an attention seeker and a media creation. He has long lost touch with the grassroots, and our people are saying enough of his noise-making; it is time for him to return to the village,” Ikonne said.

 

The APC aspirant argued that Abaribe’s long stay in the Senate—spanning nearly two decades—had not translated into meaningful development for the district.

 

“Currently, Abia South does not look like a district with its representation in the Senate. That is why I have stepped forward to offer real representation, align our people with the federal government, and attract the federal presence and development our district deserves,” he added.

 

Ikonne, a former Executive Secretary of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority under the Buhari administration, said his campaign would focus on infrastructure, empowerment programmes, and repositioning the district for greater national relevance.

 

He also expressed support for President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, describing the current Senate as a stabilising force for governance.