How Winning Imo Will Impact PDP In Southeast
the fact that those that started the party are still there is an advantage.
Chief Austin Umahi, the party’s National Vice Chairman in the zone, said his mission was to restore southeast to PDP. He stated at a meeting in Enugu, few days to the general elections that he was sure the party would win in Imo, and that there would be a collective effort to do the same in Anambra in 2022.
Umahi noted that machinery had been put in place to reconcile aggrieved members, stressing, “Anambra remains PDP’S heartbeat in Igboland.”
He charged the state party chieftains to go “preach the gospel of the new hope, which is the quest to ensure we return what rightly belongs to us.”
The challenge the party might face is how to dislodge APGA, which has continued to entrench itself and deepen its roots in every election.
Since it took over in 2003, the party has not relinquished the position. Incumbent governor, Willie Obiano is in his second term in office. Although, he failed to retain Anambra central Senatorial zone, he, however, captured enough seats in the State House of Assembly and at the House of Representatives to keep the party’s hope alive.
Ifeatu Obi Okoye, the party’s National Publicity Secretary told
that the losses notwithstanding, the party was still waxing strong, and would not relinquish electoral victories. He said the party’s plan was to sustain its fortunes in the state.
A source noted that the heated contention that usually comes up, whenever there was election or public position to be filled, had marred the party’s collective goal.
“Because of the party’s dominance in the zone, the desire to excel is always dwarfed by primordial sentiments of those in the leadership.”
Chief Jerry Uwanna said the PDP in the zone “has become a mass movement. Its members do not believe in the spirit of competition because of the conviction that the party will always win elections.” He explained that it has become difficult for other parties to survive in the zone because of the level of indoctrination in PDP.
He said: “There is nobody in the southeast that has not got one thing or the other to do with PDP. The party’s victory in Imo would impact on the zone and its politics by quickening the desire to position the region for greater opportunities, in terms of development and good governance.
In an interview, Governor Dave
Umahi, who is the chairman of Southeast, said winning Imo for PDP would fast track the works of governors in the zone.
He said: “Ihedioha is a young man that desires development. He will also bring his wealth of experience to bear on the job and in service to the zone. We will use the opportunity of his presence to explore how we can improve our people’s welfare,” he said.
Umahi explained that there are several projects, such as the Ring Road linking states in the zone and the rail line project, among others, which would benefit the people, if the governors work at the same pace.
The Southeast Governors’ meeting, which began several years ago, has always remained on the drawing board. There is no project on ground to showcase their effort to improve the region’s economic fortunes. This has affected the level of youths migrating out of the zone in search of greener pastures.