•Eze: I’m aspirant for Enugu governorship seat
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Marine, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) consensus candidate for Enugu State in the 2015 governorship election.
But his endorsement, which elicited a lot of excitement among the residents at the weekend, has aroused bad blood between him and another aspirant, Senator Ayogu Eze.
It was learnt that the Enugu North Senatorial District Caucus of the PDP met with the aspirants to agree on a consensus candidate.
A source said Governor Sullivan Chime spearheaded the meeting to reduce bitterness among the aspirants.
When the meeting ended, party faithful reportedly cheered up Ugwuanyi, singing victory songs and praises.
The crowd was ecstatic that Ugwuanyi (aka Gburugburu) was adopted.
One of them, Jude Eneh, described Ugwuanyi as a humble and peace-loving gentleman, who would build bridges, sustain the development in the state and keep the PDP intact.
Also, there was jubilation in the six local government areas in the zone when the news of the endorsement filtered in.
Before the endorsement, a source at the meeting had told our reporter that Ugwuanyi would be chosen because the governor had pleaded with the caucus that he preferred a candidate who would unite the party and sustain his administration’s development.
Chime reportedly advised the members of the caucus to lay out a plan to bring out a consensus candidate who would be presented to the other zones before the state caucus and the State Executive Committee of the party for endorsement.
Following the governor’s intervention, it was learnt that the state chairman, who was also an aspirant, Vita Abba, addressed the caucus and stepped down for Ugwuanyi.
Abba was quoted to have said that Ugwuanyi was the most suitable aspirant since he possesses the virtues the party expected from its candidate.
After the chairman stepped down, nine of the other 11 aspirants also stepped down.
The caucus requested that a motion be moved for his adoption as the consensus candidate.
It was moved by Fidel Ayogu and seconded by the former Deputy Governor Okechukwu Itanyi.
Before the motion was adopted, the governor reportedly asked the aspirants if any of them opposed the motion. The motion was unanimously adopted by a voice vote when there was no objection.
Those who stepped down for Ugwuanyi are Abba, Eddy Ugwu, Chief Okechukwu Itanyi, Pat Asadu, Prince Mathew Agu, Ambassador Fidel Ayogu, Prof. Osita Ogbu, Chief Ikeje Asogwa, Prof. Simon Ortuanya and Dan Onyishi.
Chime advised Ugwuanyi to mend fences with those who refused to step down for him.
Ugwuanyi has reportedly visited one of those who declined to step down, Eugene Odo, the House of Assembly Speaker. He held a closed-door meeting with him.
The outcome of the meeting was not made public last night.
Ugwuanyi is billed to meet other stakeholders in the next few days.
Also, Eze, who chairs the Senate Committee on Works, has said he remains an aspirant in the race for next year’s Enugu State governorship seat.
Eze made the clarification yesterday to oppose the alleged endorsement of Ugwuanyi.
In a statement in Abuja, titled: I am Still the Candidate to Beat for Enugu Government House 2015, the senator said he would not step down for any “anointed” candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He said the consensus candidate of various interest groups in the state should be allowed to test their acceptability at a primary election to determine who flies the PDP flag for the governorship election.
The statement said: “I’ve been inundated by calls and personal visits by my supporters, who have expressed worry and outrage about reports purporting that a consensus candidate has been anointed for Enugu State 2015 governorship election. My supporters are particularly worried by the aspect of the story claiming that I have stepped down for the anointed candidate.
“I wish to state clearly and unambiguously that I have not and will not step down for any anointed candidate. I’m still squarely in the race for the Enugu Lion Building in 2015.
“I was invited to a meeting of a gathering of the people of my senatorial district, presided over by the governor at the Governor’s Lodge in Enugu on Friday, September 26, 2014.
“Prior to our arrival at the Government House, the agenda of the meeting was not circulated; neither was the criterion for selecting those attending the meeting made known to me.
“At the meeting, I pointedly stated that although I was in their midst in a sort of an ambush, I was not bound by their decision, to which I believe they were entitled. It is their inalienable right to choose a consensus candidate in the same manner that to my supporters and well wishers I’m also a consensus candidate.
“I look forward to all the consensus candidates of the various interest groups meeting in the field at the PDP governorship primaries on November 29, to test who, among the various consensus blocs, is numerically stronger.
“Democracy is about elections and the will of the people. Those elements of democracy will be put to test when we arrive on the field for the primaries.
“I’ll gladly accept the outcome of the primaries and go the extra mile to work for the party with resources and whatever it will take to give the opponents of the PDP a run for their money.
“Let me state categorically that my respect for the governor and leader of PDP in Enugu State is not diminished in anyway by this development. My loyalty to the party is also unalloyed.
“I urge the party to do the right thing by providing a level-playing field for all legitimate aspirants and consensus to express themselves in a truly democratic and fair manner…”
