The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abia, Uchenna Ikonne, has died, according to a family statement.
Mr Ikonne, an ally of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu who clinched the party’s gubernatorial ticket in 2022, passed on on Wednesday morning at the National Hospital, Abuja, following a cardiac arrest. He was 65.
The academic-turned-politician had been ill for a while and received treatments in the United Kingdom for several months before recently returning to Nigeria, according to a statement signed by his son Chikezie Ikonne.
“I regret to announce the death of my dear father, Prof Eleazar Uchenna Ikonne, who died at the National Hospital Abuja today, 25th January 2023 by 4am after a brief illness.
He was recovering after taking proper treatment in the United Kingdom but relapsed a few days ago leading to multiple cardiac arrests for which he didn’t recover from.
“Further details and arrangements would be made known to the public after deliberations and meetings are made within the family,” the statement by his son Dr Uche- Ikonne Chikezie reads.
