The serenity of the Coal City of Enugu was violated as over thousands of taxi cabs took to the streets and roads of the Enugu to announce their support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) consensus candidate for the 2015 elections, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
The city bubbled with excitement as the cab owners and drivers rallied for the Orba-born politician who has been chosen by consensus of the party stakeholders to fly the flag of the party in 2015 governorship election in the state.
Organised by Enugu Unity Forum (EUF), an association set up for good governance in the state in conjunction with the taxi operators, the rally which literally grounded activities in the state capital is another show of support for the choice of the stakeholders of the party with full backing from Mr. Chime.
The road show lasted for over five hours was a rare show of solidarity as the taxi’s reportedly agreed to take a day off to drum up support for the House of Reps member who has been adopted as the PDP guber consensus candidate for the 2015 elections.
Leader of EUF, Mr. Tahil OchiI, said that the impressive turnout for the rally was just an indication of the massive support for Ugwuanyi across the state.
He said, “I thank God that Enugu people have again spoken to show solidarity for Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. I don’t know how to describe the crowd today but I must thank the almighty God for the overwhelming support for Sullivan Chime because it is a support for the governor as well as the incoming governor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
“We organized this mega rally for Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi the consensus guber candidate of the PDP in Enugu State in conjunction with Enugu City Cab. I am highly impressed and all glory must go to God.
“It’s a support for Ugwuanyi, a popular candidate, the choice of Enugu people and we said it will be good to organize a rally for him to show how popular he is amongst the populace. So, the Enugu Unity Forum with Enugu Taxi came out enmasse and joined hands to have a road show round the whole city of Enugu State to show solidarity with the man that we know will be the governor of Enugu State.
Ochi chided those kicking against the popular choice of the people to embrace the will of the people.
According to him, while it is their legitimate right to aspire to any office, it is the people the people who ultimately determine who is wht.
He said, “They must accept the decision of the party because we are all party members and if you even look at what happened in the presidential nomination too, everybody came together and said okay; let the president contest as a consensus candidate. And if you have looked around, even some people that went to buy form, they have all dropped because you must respect the party because the party has the final say.
“In Enugu State, the PDP stakeholders have endorsed Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi but that doesn’t mean that you have to shut out people from showing interest to contest but they are in the minority and I believe they will queue up.
“I don’t know what you mean by political maneuvering; the PDP has spoken and whoever disagrees has an option to go to another party but we are not praying for that. Since the party has come out open to say this is our consensus candidate, I am only preaching as the leader of Enugu Unity Forum that all our brothers who in one way or the other feel they should have been the governor should queue up and respect the party.”
Ochi said he was truly convinced that Ugwuanyi would make a good governor for the state.
“He is going to build on the legacies laid down by Governor Sullivan Chime. I want to also tell you that Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, I know him very well, I know his pedigree, and our people in Enugu State know that this man will be one of the best governors in 2015.”he said.
He described the PDP guber consensus candidate, Ugwuanyi as a philanthropist, a team leader, a politician who has been in the system for almost 12 years as a member of the National Assembly. “He knows that politicians exist and we believe he will perform wonderfully well.
“As I talk with you today, you can verify from the streets of Enugu, he is the most popular candidate in the state. There is nowhere you mention his name that people will not say ‘that good man.’ It’s not for me to start telling you what he has done for the people but if you go down to the grassroots, and ask, the down trodden will tell you that this man has touched their lives in one way or the other without being a governor.
So, if you give him the leadership of the state, he is going to build on the existing infrastructural development that the present administration has put in place in the state. And I know he is going to do better in 2015 as a governor.””
Ochi noted that the forum which pushed for the realization of a power shift to Nsukka zone has always believed that for the sake of equity that power should go to Enugu North.
“We don’t have any problem in the state whether it is going to the North or East, everybody in the state has agreed it is for the North and more than 90 per cent of those aspiring to be governor are all from the zone. And when the stakeholders met, you discover that more than 99 per cent supported the emergence of Ugwuanyi from the zone.
“So, we are not afraid that the zoning is on-course but in politics, there is need to carry the message to the grassroots again to tell them yes, this is the decision of the stakeholders. So, we are not afraid of anybody contesting the election because majority will always have their way.
“There is a pattern in PDP; and the party has not shut anybody out from contesting but at the appropriate time, and before the primary, I assure you that Ugwuanyi will be the sole candidate.”
