Against speculations that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Enugu state chapter, which is the ruling party in the state will be bedeviled with crises that will lead to factions as aftermath of fielding a guber candidate out of the 17 aspirants in the 2023 governorship election, the party came out of it peaceful following a well coordinated Guber primary held on Wednesday, May 26, at Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium, Enugu.

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The emergence of Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah as the governorship candidate in the 2023 general elections is seemingly uniting the party, cementing both old and the new stakeholders. Even as all the other sixteen aspirants have pledged their support to the candidate of Peter Mbah, so as to consolidate the strength of PDP in retaining it’s political leadership and control of Enugu state. The PDP has a track record of having produced all the governorship seats of Enugu state since the return of the democratic dispensation in 1999.

Also, all the elected National and state assemblies members and the 17 local government chairmen, including councilors from the 260 electoral wards in the state as from 2003 general elections till date emerged on the platform of PDP. From the records, the number of guber aspirants on the platform of the party in the previous party primaries never exceeded five persons except in the build up ahead of the 2023 general elections, where the number of it’s aspirants galloped to 17.

To a large extent, the figure raised insinuation and speculations of envisaged simmering crisis and catastrophe that would bedevil the party, which inevitably will lead to formation of factions and eventual collapse of PDP in Enugu state. Among the other sixteen guber aspirants who staked to become Enugu state PDP flag bearer were Professor Barth Nnaji, a former minister of power, Prof. Jehu Nnaji, a US based professor of law, Professor Hillary Edeoga, Senator Gil Nnaji, Hon Barr Chijioke Edeoga, Chief Chinyeaka Ohaa, a retired federal permanent secretary, Chief Evaristus Nnaji, Barr Nwabueze Ugwu, Engr Beloved Dan Anike, Hon Offor Chukwuegbo, Chief G.O.C Ajah, Engr Erastimus Anike, Rev Nwoye and Senator Ike Ekweremadu,who was the only aspirant outside Enugu East senatorial district of the state, who joined the race.

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But since politics is all about interest, some of the aspirants including Hon Dr Joseph Onoh, Hon Offor Chukwuegbo backed out of the contest and indicated their support for the candidate of Mr Peter Mbah few days to the primaries. Both Senator Gil Nnaji ans Senator Ike Ekweremadu announced their withdrawal from the context on the eve of the primaries. About eight other aspirants stepped down for Peter Mbah, few minutes to the primaries at Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium. 

The result thereafter as announced by the chairman of the electoral panel sent b y the PDP National working committee[NWC] showed that Mr Peter Mbah won with a total valid vote of 790 valid votes cast while his closest rival Hon Chijioke Edeoga pulled Nine votes while Chinyeaka Ohaa got three votes. Checks revealed that at recent closed door meeting, fourteen of the guber aspirants including Hon Chijioke Edeoga, restated their acceptance and support to the emergence of Mr Peter Mbah, as PDP flag bearer in the 2023 governorship election, commending the party leadership and PDP controlled government in the state led by Governor Ugwuanyi for the peaceful conduct of the primaries.

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An attestation to that effect, remains the fact that there is no proven record of any of the aspirants joining any other political party, over a month after and as at the time of filing this report. The much insinuated reports that Senator Ekweremadu would join another party eventually turned out to be false. Ekweremadu in his congratulatory message to Dr Mbah twitted ‘ After consulting widely with the elders of our party as well as well meaning friends and respected elders across the country and beyond; ‘ After a long and painstaking introspection on our contributions to the development of the PDP; ‘After considering the current security situation in the South East region and the need not to put anybody in harms way by a foreseeable combustive political environment, as my ambition is not worth the life of any Enugu son or daughter; ‘After considering that the things that hold us together as Ndi Enugu will ultimately outlive the treacheries of the moment; ‘

After receiving assurances from the gubernatorial candidate of our party, Barr. Peter Mba, that he would integrate our “Pathway to a New Enugu State” in his programme and his assurances of the participation of everybody in his campaign team and government; ‘ Senator Ike Ekweremadu, hereby formally withdraw from the 2023 gubernatorial contest in Enugu State. I congratulate Barr. Peter Mba and wish him success’. 

He narrated that his ambition to become Enugu state governor in 2023 which sprawled since the last two years was to change the narrative in the governance of our state and possibly inspire other states in the delivery of impressive governance. Our hope was that this would lead to a total recalibration of governance in Nigeria with Enugu State as a starting point and model. He disclosed that he is happy that the PDP guber candidate,Mr Peter Mbah, accepted to inculcate his blue print captioned ‘A Pathway to a New Enugu State’ into his own agenda and collectively they will work for the progress of Enugu state.

Further checks revealed that the emergence of Dr Peter Mbah as Enugu state PDP flag bearer in the 2023 state governorship election reveals that it has re invigorated bonds of political unity among the founding members of PDP and foremost key players into one block. The civilian governor of old Anambra state and one of the founding father of Peoples Democratic Party, Chi Mbah said it is born out of his desire to continue rendering selfless services to the society. He disclosed that before he came up with his aspiration to run on the platform of PDP, his pet project under “Peter Mbah foundations’ has endeared selfless and material assistance to several communities, through building and equipping of hospitals in the rural communities, for it’s workers, schools and scholarship programmes for the pupils etc. However, the civilian governor of old Anambra state and one of the founding father of Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Jim Nwobodo, was the person who gave the tip of Dr Mbah to emerge as PDP flag bearer in Enugu state, 24 hours to the PDP primaries to news men in Enugu state. Nwobodo described as very credible, experienced and worthy to govern Enugu state.

The first civilian governor of Enugu state, Dr Okwy Nwodo, who is also a foundation member of PDP in Enugu state also feels satisfied with the candidate of Dr Peter Mbah. Nwodo was reported to have chaired the committee that produced the running mate to Peter Mbah, in the person of Barrister Ifeanyi Ossai. Also a former civilian governor of Enugu state and the founder of ‘Ebeano PDP political family, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, feels satisfied with the emergence of Dr Peter Mbah as the governorship candidate of PDP in the 2023 Enugu state go governorship elections.Dr Peter Mbah held positions as a Chief of staff and commissioner for finance as various stages of Senator Chimaroke Nnamani administration as governor of Enugu state [1999 -2007].

Read Also: 2023: Peter Mbah, another Messiah that ‘ll reposition, rescue Enugu State

Evidently, the incumbent Governor Ugwuanyi is obviously satisfied with the choice of the party’s flag bearer. At various mounting stages and pressures from political stakeholders in Enugu East senatorial district, who banked on the zoning/rotation culture in the state, to urge Gov Ugwuanyi to name his choice of candidate from the zone,Ugwuanyi has assured them that the candidate who will emerge will be acceptable across border. The choice of Dr Peter Mbah from all indications satisfied the quest of Enugu East senatorial district and beyond. Dr Mbah hails from Owoh community in Nkanu East local government area of Enugu East senatorial district. Nkanu East and Isi Uzo local government areas of Enugu East senatorial district in Enugu state, are the more vouched under developed socio infrastructure wise, who also are on the low side of having enjoyed less political appointments that the other four council areas in the zone namely, Enugu North, Enugu East,Enugu South, and Nkanu West local government areas. A former National auditor of PDP who is from Enugu state,Hon Barr Ray Nnaji, described Dr Peter Mbah emergence as the best for the state,stating he will bring his experience from both the government and private sector in consolidating socio infrastructural development of Enugu state.

He extolled Governor Ugwuanyi for not succumbing to the pressure to jettison the zoning/rotation culture prevailing in Enugu state civilian democracy,stating Nkanu East deserved it by merit among other five local government areas that make up Enugu East senatorial district. Meanwhile, ahead of the official presentation of his blue print of economic development of Enugu state if elected,Dr Peter Mbah has disclosed that he will stir industrial revolution of Enugu state, through private sector initiative that would attract foreign investors into the state. Mbah dropped this hints during a familiarization chat with members of the correspondents chapel, Nigerian Union of Journalists(NUJ), Enugu state last weekend.

The Enugu state flag bearer who was the Chief Executive of Pinnacle Oil and Gas ltd, assured he will bring his experience in corporate management to to make Enugu state an investment destination and hope to raise the investment base of the state from 4.4million US dollars to 30 million US dollars,promising to develop the mineral resources deposits in the state,as well as exploiting the agricultural strength of Enugu state,which currently stood at 40% Gross Domestic Product(GDP) across the rural communities of the state.

Answering questions on what prompted his ambition to govern Enugu state,Mr Peter Mbah said it is born out of his desire to continue rendering selfless services to the society. He disclosed that before he came up with his aspiration to run on the platform of PDP, his pet project under “Peter Mbah foundations’ has endeared selfless and material assistance to several communities, through building and equipping of hospitals in the rural communities, for it’s workers, schools and scholarship programmes for the pupils etc.

However, not minding the evolving and rapid growing popularity of Labor Party in Enugu state, and Nigeria as a whole since Mr. Peter Obi joined ; PDP in Enugu still looks formidable to retain power.

(News Center)

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