Enugu State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has debunked media reports indicating that the consensus candidate of the party for Enugu State governorship ticket, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, may have been disqualified.
According to the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Dr. Okey Eze, nothing like that happened.
Eze in a statement described the publications as the handiwork of mis-chiefmakers who because of their unpopularity in the party lost out in the democratic process that led to the emergence of Ugwuanyi as the party’s consensus candidate.
Despite the consensus of the wide majority of members of the party to adopt Ugwuanyi as their choice aspirant for the position, Senator Ayogu Eze had vowed to press home his ambition, while those loyal to Deputy Senate President appeared determined to forge ahead.
However, political pundits make light their positions as it is widely believed that the two groups, separately or combined, have no chance against the well-oiled political machine of the incumbent governor of the state, Sullivan Chime, who has given his unreserved endorsement to Ugwuanyi as the consensus candidate of the party.
Eze said it was common knowledge that the national leadership of PDP had always encouraged the emergence of popular candidates as the surest and easiest way for the party to win elections.
His words: “The party, in its wisdom, has since the emergence of the Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu-led national leadership established a new order of reform programmes through national rebirth and reconciliation, political integration and an enduring electoral process that will guarantee free and fair primaries of the party and give every member of the party an equal opportunity to vote or be voted for in all elections.
“It is, therefore, mischievous to allege in the national dailies that the party leadership under the watch of the national chairman will align itself to such an act of victimization over an unfounded allegation being anchored by bad losers in our party in Enugu State.
“Ugwuanyi’s credibility in the National Assembly and his contributions as one of the stabilizing members of the party in the House of Representatives are overwhelming as has been testified by many members of the House, including the House Leader, Mulikat Akande.”
He said it was also spurious to refer to Ugwuanyi as an anointed candidate of the governor of the state, when he was unanimously adopted by all the caucuses of the party in the state through a democratic process.
“Let it be on record once more, that Ugwuanyi’s emergence will not stop the forthcoming PDP governorship primary election in Enugu State or chances of other aspirants to participate in the exercise.
“We, therefore, advise those who are opposed to Ugwuanyi’s emergence to make themselves available for the primaries, rather than engaging in all sorts of blackmail, falsehood and anti-party activities, aimed at misleading the public and overheating the polity for their selfish agenda,” he said.
