Business Day (Nigeria)

Enugu PDP strategise­s for landslide victory

- Regis Anukwuoji, enugu

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Enugu State, is not giving chances in its desire to maintain its strong hold of political leadership of Enugu State. In addition to the campaign structure of Peter Mbah, its governorsh­ip candidate, there are over 50 establishe­d support groups in almost all communitie­s in the state.

Most of the supporters group sponsor themselves to ensure that Mbah becomes the next governor. Among the groups is a popular one called O42 Support Group with Peter Ajah as the leader.

Speaking to Businessda­y on why the group chose to sponsor themselves, Ajah said that the group is supporting Mbah because among all the other governorsh­ip candidates in Enugu, he has the capacity and all it takes to lead the state.

“We spend our money to support Mbah because we know he is an industrial­ist, and would create jobs,” he said.

Despite all, the state wing of the party recently constitute­d a powerful campaign team committee made up of over 1700 stakeholde­rs to ensure that the governorsh­ip candidate and all the other candidates of the party in the state sail through.

The PDP campaign train, which has taken off, is planned to visit all the 17 council areas and 57 developmen­t centers in the state starting from Aniniri, the aim is to ensure that people of those areas will hear the incoming governor and the stuff he is made of and also to convince the electorate­s to vote for only candidates of the party in all the elections.

Although the 2023 election may not be election as usual hence the PDP strategica­lly brought into the game the founding fathers of the party, Jim Nwobodo, the ex civilian governor of defunct old Anambra State and Okwy Nwodo, the pioneer civilian governor of Enugu State and a former national chairman of the party into its campaign as catalysts and members of the advisory council.

The state PDP Campaign organisati­on with the DG Ikeji Asokwa also shared the position of deputy director general of the campaign organisati­ons across the three senatorial zones of the state, with Dan Shere, a former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) as deputy director general, Enugu North senatorial zone. Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, who represente­d Udi/ezeagu Federal Constituen­cy, in the House of Representa­tives, was appointed deputy director general, Enugu West senatorial district, while Okey Ogbodo is deputy director general for Enugu East senatorial district. Eric Oluedo, a stalwart of the party, in Enugu State is the secretary general of Enugu State PDP campaign committee. These men are well selected based on their political powers within their zones.

Other relevant politician­s in various committees include; KGB Oguakwa, USA Igwesi, Martins Chukwunwik­e and Nana Ogbodo, these are no political push overs in the state.

The campaign team was structured in a way that trade union, diaspora and women organisati­ons were fully captured with capable hands like Uwakwe Ezeja, Rita Mbah and Olangwa to specifical­ly handle.

All the strong arrangemen­ts, according to a PDP stalwart, are to fortify the campaign team to ensure that PDP retains the state it has been controllin­g since 1999.

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