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 11 governorship lelection.
The APC chieftains 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,” said Nwoye, who is a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, PCC.
Nwoye, former Enugu APC Chairman. addressing the PDP rally in Enugu on Friday
He, however, said they would support Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the presidential election.
Nwoye 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.
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“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.
Enugu PDP guber candidate, Peter Mbah ( 3rd from left), Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Speaker Enugu Assembly Hon Edward Ubosi at the rally
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 senatorial 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.
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Peter Mbah and Chief Jim Nwobodo
“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.”
Nwobodo while expressing joy over the overwhelming support the PDP gubernatorial flagbearer is enjoying among the masses, maintained that feelers from the political atmosphere pointed that Mbah would win with landslide votes in the election.
He further appreciated the governor for his foresight and selfless commitment to the development of the state, urging him to disregard the few disgruntled elements hurling abuse on him because of his goodwill.
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.
Commending Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for honouring his words not only by adhering to the established zoning principle in the state, Ubosi who was the Chairman, Planning Committee of the rally, said the zone will always show gratitude for the uncommon gesture.
Ubosi, who noted that the mammoth crowd gathered at the Michael Okpara Square for one reason, stated that the agenda was to inform the governor and the people of the state that the only gubernatorial candidate they recognize and would support is Dr. Mbah.
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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.
On his part, Rev. Edeh, who is also the State Chairman of the Christians Association of Nigeria, CAN, promised that their teeming members will queue behind the PDP gubernatorial frontrunner on the day of election because of his sound agenda for the state.
Speaking on behalf of the federal lawmakers, Hon. Chukwuegbo appreciated the governor for keeping to his promise while enjoining him to keep his support coming until Mbah is declared the next governor by the electoral umpire.
The chairman of the party in the state, Hon. Augustine Nnamani, expressed happiness at the massive endorsement, stressing that the governor had made the party’s work easier due to the outstanding candidate the party presented.
He equally enjoined the people not to relent or rest on their oars but to work towards the collection of their permanent voter’s cards, PVCs, which will enable them to vote for the governorship hopeful.
At the rally were also members of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, who took a similar stand with a promise to mobilise their members in n support of Ubah.
The National leader of the Labour Party (LP) Mr Peter Obi on Wednesday said his concern at the moment is how to see Nigeria achieve her potential as an independent nation.
Obi who had embarked on a tour of some parts of the country and carried out some social and education projects, explained that his mission has nothing to do with politics or the 2027 presidential election.
At a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the former Anambra State governor stated “Only God can tell who can run for election in future; my interest now is the poor and how to see Nigeria work.”
He regretted that 70 per cent of the wealth of the country is in the hands of about one per cent of the population, noting that if about 200,000 rich Nigerians could deploy their resources for the basic needs of the poor, the situation would not be as deplorable.
He equally called on governments at all levels to ensure that resource deployment is aimed at improving the living standards of the poor and pulling them out of poverty.
The former LP presidential candidate stated that his humanitarian tour of some parts of the country has exposed him to the level of poverty in Nigeria and the abandonment of the people.
Obi who announced the completion of the construction of 10 boreholes in some states of the North for a short-term water supply to the people, said if 200,000 rich Nigerians could do the same in the area of their choice, it would go a long way to solving the water needs of the people.
He stated that the potential he found among Almajiris in the Quranic schools in the North was an indication that with adequate encouragement and support, they could be catalysts to national development.
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“I am carrying out a campaign to make the rich in our midst do more in providing water to our rural poor and helping to pull the out-of-school children off the streets for proper development.
“This is the time to cut waste; our larger population can’t be suffering a conspicuous lack of basic needs like water and we live lavish lifestyles in their midst.
“Our crisis of insecurity and other challenges derives from poverty, and it’s our responsibility to pull people out of poverty through good education,” Obi stated.
He also reacted to the allegation that he did not build any new school when he was governor of Anambra State, explaining that he met education is shambles, as schools were closed and the state occupied 26 positions in the country.
But according to him, by the time he left as governor, Anambra was number one in the country.
“I improved the quality, physical and mental well-being of the people; schools had the basic things they needed and the people shone like stars, and that was my manifesto.
“Building new schools when the old ones are moribund is just like building coastal lines when internal roads are impassable,” he pointed out.
He expressed confidence that the crisis in the Labour Party would be resolved amicably, adding, “What is happening in the Labour Party is child’s play compared to what is going on in APC and PDP.” (New Telegraph)
A former governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, has resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
In his resignation letter addressed to the PDP chairman in Mbutu Ward, Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of the state, Ihedioha cited a misalignment between his personal beliefs and the current trajectory of the main opposition party.
The former governor expressed his dedication to the advancement of democracy and good governance in the country despite his decision to step away from PDP.
According to Ihedioha, having been a member of the party since its inception in 1998, he has contributed immensely to the growth and evolution of the party.
The former governor, however, lamented recent developments within the PDP, stating that it has deviated from its core principles.
He voiced concerns over the party’s inability to enact internal reforms, uphold its own regulations, and effectively oppose the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
“Regrettably, in recent times, the party has taken on a path that is at variance with my personal beliefs. Despite my attempt to offer counsel, the party is, sadly, no longer able to carry out internal reforms, enforce its own rules or offer credible opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress.’
“It is in the light of the foregoing, that I am compelled to offer my resignation from the People’s Democratic Party effective immediately.
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“While the decision was difficult to take, I, however, believe that it is the right one. Despite this resignation, I will always be available to offer my services towards the deepening of democracy and good governance in Nigeria”, the letter added.
• Protesters demand cancellation of APC ward primaries in Ondo State on Sunday, April 21, 2024
Some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akure, the Ondo State capital, took to the streets on Sunday to protest what they termed irregularities and biased conduct of the ward primaries across the state on Saturday.
The ward primaries meant to produce the governorship candidate of the party for the November 16, 2024 governorship election in the state has been marred with non-availability of election materials.
The protesters called for the cancellation of the ward primaries.
The protesters stormed the APC state secretariat in Akure to display their displeasure to the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the ward primaries across the 203 wards of the state.
Most of them are supporters of one of the aspirants, Olushola Oke, and they carried different placards calling on the national secretariat to remove the chairman of the primary election committee and Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo.
They described the process as a daylight robbery and urged the national secretariat of the APC not to allow the state to be embroiled in crisis.
One of the protesters claimed no ward primaries were held, insisting that the guidelines given by the national secretariat of the party were not followed as the committee did not distribute materials to any wards.
The party members warned of likely consequences if an unpopular candidate is imposed on them as it could affect the chances of the party in the governorship election.
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Ododo had on Saturday announced that polls would be conducted in all 13 wards of Okitipupa Local Government Area of the state by noon on Sunday.
“Having received reports of the primary election from the 203 wards in the 18 local governments of Ondo State, the primary election committee has decided that election will be conducted in all the 13 Wards of Okitipupa local government with total validated registered members of 9,515, because of validated reports that the exercise did not hold in the local government due to late arrival of materials and personnel as a result of logistics challenges.
“Election in Okitipupa local government shall be conducted 12 noon on Sunday 21st April 2024. The final collation of the results will be done thereafter,” he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, two aspirants and agents of two other contestants raised concerns about the conduct of the primary.
They alleged that based on the conduct of the exercise, plans were made to favour certain aspirants.
Olugbenga Edema, who is one of the 16 aspirants in the race for the APC ticket, decried delays in the distribution of materials and called on the party to investigate the process.
Rotimi Williams, the agent of Oke, took a similar position.
Shola Ajisafe, the agent of Adewale Akinterinwa, backed the narrative by Edema and Willams.
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“My people have been calling me. No material has been distributed to them,” Ajisafe who is from Ondo North said, accusing Governor Ododo of working in favour of a candidate. (Channelstv)