The 2027 governorship candidate of the Action Peoples Party (APP) in Abia State, retired Major-General Ijioma Nwokoro Ijioma, has attributed his survival of about 30 road accidents and three air crashes to what he described as a divine purpose to govern the state.
Ijioma made the claim on Saturday while formally launching his campaign at Umuhu Ezechi Community Primary School in Bende, his country home, after receiving the APP flag from the party’s National Organising Secretary, Obed Agu.
The retired general recalled that one of the air crashes he survived claimed the lives of 10 generals, including former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Andrew Azazi.
He said he escaped the crash because he remained at Army Headquarters to prepare minutes from an earlier engagement instead of joining the flight.
“I survived many accidents and escaped three air crashes, including the one that claimed the life of late Chief of Army Staff, Azazi,” Ijioma said.
“All these things that have happened and I survived was for one purpose. And that purpose is 2027, when I will take over as the Governor of Abia State.”
Ijioma unveiled a 23-point manifesto covering security, agriculture, education, infrastructure, energy, economic development, culture and governance.
He promised to establish 17 local government farms and three state farms, alongside processing industries, while proposing subsidised “Abia rice shops”, “Abia milk shops” and “Abia meat shops” to make locally produced food more affordable.
“Anywhere I go, I see hunger on the faces of my people, and I see anger. It is that hunger that I want to feed and remove that anger through responsible leadership, efficient and effective governance,” he said.
The APP candidate also promised to build a 16-storey university building in Umuhu within his first year in office, if elected, and upgrade the Ibere-Umuhu Road.
On security, Ijioma promised to establish what he called an “invisible security fence” across the state to detect and respond to security breaches.
He specifically cited alleged attacks involving herders in parts of Abia and pledged that any security breach would be addressed within 48 hours.
“I will build what we call in the military, invisible security fence. And when that is put in place, any breach or insecurity anywhere in Abia within 48 hours will be terminated,” he said.
Ijioma also criticised the administration of Governor Alex Otti, questioning aspects of its spending, road construction and education programmes.
He pledged stricter management of public resources and greater accountability in the use of local government funds, arguing that development should reflect increased allocations.
On the continued detention of Indigenous People of Biafra leader Nnamdi Kanu, Ijioma promised to pursue legal, political and social measures to secure his release if elected.
“I will take every necessary measure, including legal, including political, including social, to compel the Federal Government to release Nnamdi Kanu,” he said.
He also announced a scholarship for Ekene Okorie, a Primary Five pupil who featured in a demonstration during his address, covering the child’s education through university.
Agu, who represented APP National Chairman Uchenna Nnadi at the event, described Ijioma as a “fearless General” with extensive experience and expressed confidence in his candidacy.
The campaign flag-off, which the party described as its first governorship campaign event in Abia ahead of the 2027 election, was attended by APP candidates, party leaders and supporters from across the state.
Ijioma urged Abians to support the APP in the February 6, 2027 governorship election, saying he would work to secure victory for the party.
