By Samson Ezea 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) local government primaries for the October 5, 2024, election in Enugu State have come and gone. Chairmanship candidates and their deputies in the 17 local government areas of the state have all emerged. So also the 260 councillors in the 260 wards in the state. 

Expectedly and just like every other political contest, there were no victors and no vanquished. Generally and politically, all genuine PDP stakeholders, leaders, aspirants, members, and faithful in the state are victors in the exercise and in all ramifications. 

They are; be it stakeholders, party faithful and aspirants, who overtly and covertly worked, supported and sought to be chosen as candidates in the just concluded PDP LGA primaries in the state that succeeded and didn't succeed as well. It is a win-win situation.

This is considering the fact that the party is supreme and party loyalty is absolute and key for the dominance, survival and continuous performance of the governments at all levels in the state. The leader of the party in the state, Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, the party leadership in the state, local government and ward levels are competent leaders in whom we believe in, had trust and have absolute confidence in. 

Our ever-dynamic, visionary, workaholic, and performing Governor Mbah is on the right track and deserves the support of all in the state, especially our party members. PDP is the ruling, dominant, biggest, and greatest party in the state since 1999 with an outstanding track record of performance, which Governor Mbah has raised the bar in a unique manner. 

There is no alternative to PDP in Enugu State. An average politician in Enugu State today has a stint in PDP and is desirous of coming back if given the opportunity and platform. This is especially now that Governor Mbah is revolutionizing development and leadership recruitment in the state. 

I have taken time to critically peruse through the personal profile of the  17 PDP candidates and their deputies that emerged in the PDP local government primaries and those that didn't emerge. They are all eminently qualified with outstanding trackrecord of excellent performances in their various fields of human endeavours and partisan politics. There are no doubts over their capacities and competence, but there is no way all of them will be elected or chosen at the same time. The best had been elected and so shall it be by His Grace. 

They represented a paradigm shift in leadership recruitment and public office service in our state. They deserve the unflinching and unwavering support and cooperation of all the PDP leaders, stakeholders and faithful in this onerous assignment to enable them win, complement and drive Governor Mbah's disruptive innovations and business unusual development-agenda at the grassroot level for the benefit of mankind and humanity. 

Meanwhile, it is the right of any party member or members to be aggrieved or disillusioned over the outcome of the exercise, especially those that were not favoured or their areas or zoned not favoured.

This has always been the case. No political outcome, choice, or decision favours everybody or area at any given time. That is the dynamism of politics.  If it didn't favour you or your area today, it will favour you and your area tomorrow.

There will always be tomorrow. Nothing is cast in stone in politics. Besides, there are always seen and unforeseen circumstances that determine the outcome of political contests that are often beyond the understanding of aspirants and other parties involved in most cases.

This is the major reason every PDP member or aspirant in the just concluded primaries should shed away the toga of the false sense of entitlement and expectation and brace for the reality of moving the party forward irrespective of what has happened.

For the opposition parties in the state, whose houses are on fire, but are busy chasing rats and trying to make a mountain out of a molehill over the outcome of PDP primaries by throwing tantrums and jabs at some PDP stakeholders, aspirants and members, they should try and remove the logs in their eyes first before removing another persons' own. After all, PDP Stakeholders and members have not complained and are not complaining to them or anyone about the outcome of their party's primaries. 

What is of utmost concern and paramount importance to all PDP stakeholders, leaders and faithful in the three senatorial zones, 17 council areas and 260 wards in the state is how to rally around and mobilise massive support for all the PDP candidates in the October 5 local government election in Enugu State in order to ensure and achieve total victory for the party in the election. Committed, loyal, and genuine PDP members have no other option than this in the spirit of sportsmanship, party loyalty, and supremacy. Anything to the contrary will amount to treachery, sabotage, betrayal, disloyalty, and insubordination to the supremacy of the party, Governor Mbah, and the party leadership at all levels. Such actions will be detrimental and counterproductive to the party's survival and growth.

Meanwhile, hearty congratulations to the 17 PDP candidates and their deputies, 260 councillors and all PDP stakeholders, and faithful in Enugu State especially the PDP chairmanship candidate in my local government area, Igbo Etiti, Dr. Eric Odo and his Deputy, Barr. Mrs. Chinasa Nwabunfo (Nee Okagu)for the successful primaries and anticipated victories in the LGA election. 

The tasks before the elected PDP chairmanship candidates are enormous and surmountable. Apart from being magnanimous in victory by reaching out to all party faithful and bringing them on board, they should be beacons of hope for the people, especially the downtrodden and indigents by providing good governance and basic infrastructure at the local level.

It is an axiomatic fact that PDP remains the party to beat in the forthcoming local government election and it won't be easy or possible beating them because the successive PDP-led governments in the state have done well and the present Gov. Mbah-led government is performing creditably and extremely well to the admiration and commendations of the people of Enugu and beyond. 

What else defines a government other than good governance and provision of security, massive infrastructural development and democracy dividends. That is what Governor Mbah represents and stands for in Enugu State.