The former Senate President and the Secretary, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Adolphus Wabara, has warned Abia State government and the party not to be defeated in 2023 election.

Speaking at Umuahia on Monday, Wabara warned that any attempt to make another Ngwa man succeed Gov Okezie Ikpeazu, who is also an Ngwa man, will be counter productive for the PDP, while the party might get a protest vote in Abia come 2023.

“If Ukwa clan should not be considered because it belongs to Abia South Senatorial zone where power currently resides, then power should move back to Abia North where it started from in 1999,” he said, noting further that,“anything short of allowing power to come to Ukwa or rotate back to Abia North in 2023 would spell doom for the PDP.”

He stressed that he is raising the alarm because of his love for PDP, and hereby advised the party in the state not to toy with the Abia Charter of Equity and zoning so as not to jeopardize its electoral fortunes in 2023.

“Zoning is an integral part of the PDP. The Abia State PDP should learn from our national leadership and respect zoning. Our party shall not be doing the right thing at the centre and here somebody will be acting with impunity.

“No single person has the authority to decide the next governor of the state. The party caucus, elders and stakeholders will have to meet. “Gov. Ikpeazu’s successor may be the governor’s choice but that should only happen after the right thing has been done in line with the constitution of our great party, which is macro zoning to Ukwa or Abia North.

“I am saying this because of my love for our great party, which of course enjoys large followership in Abia. But if the PDP leadership doesn’t do the right thing, the party will get protest vote in 2023.

“Abians will vote the PDP 85% but if the governorship ticket is not ceded to Ukwa or Abia North in line with power rotation arrangement, there will be a protest vote.

“Abia is not ready for Ngwa back to back thing. What they are doing now is exactly why the PDP lost Plateau State to the APC in 2015. Ukwa or Abia North should produce Ikpeazu’s successor,” Wabara cautioned.