The chances of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State winning the forthcoming general election received a boost yesterday, as all aspirants of the PDP during the National Assembly primaries in the state agreed to work for the party’s landslide victory at the polls.
Addressing newsmen after a reconciliatory meeting with the PDP Reconciliation Committee, led by the former State Chairman of the party, Engr. Vita Abba, the aspirants, who spoke on behalf of others, said the decision was based on the uncommon leadership style of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, which was anchored on peace, reconciliation and good governance.
Speaking, a senatorial aspirant from Enugu West Senatorial District, Chief, Sir O.A.U Onyema, stated that “basically, all rancour within the PDP in Enugu State have been resolved with this reconciliation meeting” and “we have agreed to work together and ensure that the party, being supreme, will deliver all its candidates in tandem with our policy in Enugu State”.
His words: “So, what we are telling all our supporters is to sheath their sword and understand that the people they are following have understood the activities and the olive branch extended to us as piloted by our amiable governor, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. So, come 2019 election, all our candidates will be delivered from the House of Assembly, the governor, to the senatorial seats.”
Also speaking, Prof. David Ngene, from Enugu East Senatorial Zone said the aspirants were satisfied with the peace moves of the party.
His words: “We are people that contested for Senate and House of Representatives primaries of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party in Enugu State. We felt that there were some grievances but our Governor decided that a reconciliation committee should be set up. From that decision, every issue has been sorted out. We are strongly behind him, not just because of his amiability but his power to bring people together.”
In his speech, Mr. Jude Asogwa from Nsukka Local Government, who contested for Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency primary election of the PDP said “we had a whole lot of issues but the party has called us today for a reconciliation meeting and you can see I am here with my co-contestants – Emeka Asogwa, Hon. Charles Ugwu, Hon. Ezeugwu and then Hon. Mrs. Ezinne and the Hon. Ossy Peters. All the aspirants met and listened to the committee. We have decided to go by the decision of the party. The party is supreme, so we have agreed to work with the party without prejudice.”
Another senatorial aspirant from Oji River in Enugu West, Engr. Uche Emma Onyekwelu, while toeing the same line said “today we have reconciled all differences; we have agreed to work together. So, we are urging our supporters to vote massively in all the elections, the National Assembly, House of Assembly and for our Governor. We have decided that all the rancour associated with the primary are over.”
He added that “no condition was attached to this reconciliation. We accepted to work for the party wholeheartedly without any condition.”
Also prominent at the meeting were Santors Ugwuada Ezirigwe, elder brother to Okey Ugwuada Ezirigwe of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Hon. Dr. Malachy Ugwu of the PDP National Secretariat, Abuja, who had earlier displayed similar sportsmanship, when he voluntarily stepped down for the candidate of the party for Igbo-Etiti/ Uzo-Uwani federal constituency, and went further to organize a well-attended thank-you session for party delegates and other stakeholders.
