The Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, said on Saturday he would not influence the emergence of his successor in 2023.
Ikpeazu, who stated this in a chat with journalists in Aba, said nobody believed he would become governor in 2015 but God made surprised everybody and ensured his success in that year’s election.
He added that power is a serious matter that God would not leave entirely in the hands of men.
The governor stressed that his desire is that an individual who would build on his legacies and subsequently perform than him emerges the governor of Abia State in 2023.
Ikpeazu said: “The question of who succeeds me in 2023 resides entirely within God. But every man in my position will pray to get a successor who will sustain his legacies and mean well for the people of the state and also do better than I have done.
“I will want to see a successor that has sufficient passion, not self centred and sufficiently humble to create a platform that will engender participation from all kinds of people; the lame, the blind, the youth, the women, the downtrodden and all the people. And for it to happen, I’m trusting and believing in what God can do.
“At all times as a governor, I try to emphasize some virtues and traits that I think we need to grow to move forward. I will not want to be in a place where I will literally determine who will be governor, I won’t do that because I know I cannot because mine is a divine mandate.
“Nobody gave me a chance, but God made it happen. So, God can also raise somebody. Power is such a serious matter that God will not leave entirely in the hands of men.
“Maybe, if I have expectations, let it happen. But I will be sufficiently neutral such that I will be able to accept whatever decision God makes on the election. I have spent time in my lodge in Aba, it isa three-bedroom apart. I don’t know how many governors can reside in this kind of place.
“But I stay here because I want to keep my eyes on the fact that I’m the governor today, but I will not be the governor tomorrow. I won’t take myself too far away from how I live my life. I will work hard to the point that somebody coming after me will find it difficult to operate unless he is running on this same lane.”
