Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Friday, joined other Enugu State leaders to endorse the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Barr. Peter Mbah ahead of the March election.

DAILY POST reports that key chieftains of the APC, who threw their weight behind Mbah included former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani, the immediate past chairman of the party in the State, Barr. Ben Nwoye, and their supporters.

They made their stand known at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu, during a rally organized by the people of Enugu East Senatorial Zone.

Nwoye, who said he came to represent Nnamani, as well as in his personal capacity, disclosed that having assessed all the guber candidates, Mbah stood out.

“Peter Mbah is the incoming governor of Enugu State. We have looked at everything, we studied your manifesto and character, we looked at your temperament and you stood out among others.

“We concluded that the decision on the leadership of Enugu State should not be by party; I’m a member of APC but I and my followers will vote for you,” Nwoye said.

He, however, said they would support Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the presidential election.

He said, “I’m a member of the APC PCC but after February 25, we are going to turn everything to Barr. Peter Mbah.”

Governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi recalled that he was at the Oganiru Enugu East rally last year, where he assured that equity, justice and dialogue would take preeminence.

“Today that prophecy has come to pass,” he said, describing the PDP guber primary which produced Mbah as free, fair and credible.

He lauded other PDP guber aspirants for agreeing to work with Peter Mbah.

He said Mbah has a knack for excellent performance and would not fail the yearnings of Enugu people, stressing “our tomorrow is here indeed.”

He congratulated Mbah for winning the trust of the people of Enugu East, expressing optimism that it is the same situation in the other zones.

Governor Ugwuanyi called on the people of the State to ensure that they collect their Permanent Voter’s Card, PVC.

A former Governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo, in his comments, said Enugu State is PDP.

He declared that Peter Mbah’s election is a done deal, thanking Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi “for being a man of his words.”

He said: “He kept to his words and today we are here celebrating a young, vibrant man as the Governor in waiting.”

Turning to Governor Ugwuanyi, Nwobodo said further: “Your Excellency, anyone who says you will not go to the Senate is lying. You deserve it. It is your right. There is peace in Enugu courtesy of your administration. How can you be abusing someone who has given you peace? You shall go to the Senate, we shall campaign for you.

“Nobody can come and tell me about Enugu politics; you can’t tell Jim Nwobodo about Enugu politics.

“I’m yet to see any party that will come and beat PDP in Enugu State.”

In his opening remarks, the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Edward Ubosi told the gathering that the entire people of Enugu East met and endorsed Mbah.

“Today, 20th January, we have gathered again to tell you, Your Excellency, the Governor, that the good people of Enugu East met and adopted Peter Mbah as our sole candidate.

“Among all the other candidates, we agreed that Peter Mbah is our sole candidate,” Ubosi said.

His Royal Highness, Igwe Abel Nwobodo, who also spoke, said all the traditional rulers had endorsed Mbah in support of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s decision and in consideration of Mbah’s capacity.

At the rally were also members of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, who took a similar stand.

DAILY POST