ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State was conspicuously absent at the presidential rally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the State.
Voiceofnaija.ng gathered that some officials of the Enugu State government were equally absent from the rally.
Ugwuanyi’s absence may not be unconnected to the decision of the G-5 Governors not to support Abubakar until Senator Iyorchia Ayu steps down as national chairman of the party.
A situation that shows that the rift between Atiku and Governor Ugwuanyi as well as the members of the party might not be easily reconciled.
During the event which was held on Tuesday at Okpara Square ENUGU, members of the PDP in the state embraced the call by Senator Ayu to reject the presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, and vote for Atiku, a call that resulted to a huge uproar.
Senator Ayu said that a vote for Peter Obi’s Labour Party is a vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC), a remark that obviously did not go down well with the party members.
“I want to appeal to you not to be distracted by some people who would be asking you to vote for Labour Party. I say this because a vote for Labour Party is a vote for APC.
“Enugu is PDP and PDP is Enugu State. Enugu has always voted PDP. PDP is your DNA.
“I believe you are still going to vote PDP from top to bottom. Atiku will emerge victorious as president with Ifeanyi Okowa as his vice president,” he said.
In his address, Atiku reiterated again that an Igbo man could only become president after his tenure as President.
His words: “when I came to Enugu few months ago for a town hall meeting, I told you that I am going to be the stepping stone to an Igbo president. And I mean that statement.
“Whether from Southeast or Southsouth, I am going to make sure that an Igbo becomes president after me as president because Igbo is a universal race. That’s why I chose an Igbo man from Delta as my running mate.
“As you can see, Nigeria is geared towards a PDP government. So, the next federal government is going to be formed by PDP. I appeal to Enugu people to make sure that you remain in the PDP so that you be in the mainstream and be part of that government.”
The presidential hopeful expressed happiness with the crowd of supporters that welcomed him to the event, saying that that was evident that the state was PDP.
Speaking at the event also, the PDP governorship candidate in the State, Peter Mbah assured that the party is more united and stronger to deliver in the 2023 general elections.
Mbah assured that he was to step on the development instituted by the present government in the state to ensure that the people of the state enjoy the best of democratic dividends.
Some of the notable members of the party present at the rally include; the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mrs. Cecelia Ezeilo, members of the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party; member representing Enugu North, Senator Chukwuka Utazi; deputy minority leader of the House of Representatives, Toby Okechukwu; speaker of the state house of assembly, Edward Ubosi, among others.
Speaking at the event, Mrs. Ezeilo urged the Enugu people to do what they were known for as the party had been winning elections in the state since 1999.
She said: “Since 1999, we have been doing it and this is not going to be a different case. As we have been doing it, let us do it again.”