By PETRUS OBI.
The appointment of former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Uganda, Fidel Ayogu as campaign Director General for Labour Party Governorship candidate Rt. Hon. Barr. Chijioke Edeoga is a major step in the anticipated onslaught against the ruling PDP.
A former member of the House of Reps for Igboeze North and South Constituency, is an experienced and influential political heavyweight especially in the Nsukka Senatorial Zone.
Also in for the tough battle ahead is George Ugwu who has also been named Edeoga’s campaign spokesperson and Director of Communications.
Engr George Ugwu( Maston George) hails from Enugu East LGA and has been described as a people’s person, intelligent and a good organiser of men and material.
With other politcial heavy weights most of whom joined from the ruling PDP the campaigns and election proper promises to be very interesting.
While the emergence of former Anambra Governor Mr. Peter Obi as the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party has suddenly skyrocketed the party to limelight, his adoption by the youths as an agent of change has further positioned it as a major threat to the hitherto top politcial parties like the APC and the PDP.
Like a movement the “Obident” fever continues to envelope the entire country like an influenza with the youths mobilizing personal and individual resources to push for a committed leadership at the top.
Enugu State, is not left out in this ‘revolution’ as the party has also risen locally above its peers to compete with the party in power, the PDP.
The rush for the party tickets was unprecedented, mostly from PDP aspirants who felt cheated in the party primary elections.
Edeoga, a Commissioner in the Ugwuanyi administration in the state who resigned to contest the guber primary shocked politcial observers when he dumped the PDP to pick the Labour Party ticket.
A former House of Reps member, Edeoga comes from the Isi-uzo area of Enugu East Zone whose turn it is to produce the next governor, based on existing zoning, believes that his people are being marginalized in the zone.
The affinity of the people of Isi-uzo with the Nsukka zone may have encouraged Edeoga’s bold step into the guber race with Labour Party.
As expected, the emergence of Edeoga has put the ruling PDP on its toes. Yes, there is work to be done, and for the first time since 1999 when the PDP came to power, 2023 is promising to provide the first major challenge to the party.
While nothing is assured yet, bookmakers believe that for the first time another party apart from PDP could get something from the polls with the general belief that votes would count.
The Labour party is counting on the seemingly unity of purpose of the Nsukka zone, the majority non indigenes in the Enugu metropolis and the overall influence of the ‘Obident’ movement.
Also going for the Labour party is the fact that the two other guber candidates in the race, Uche Nnaji of the APC and Frank Nweke jnr of APGA are all from the same politcial hamlet of Nkanu East/West with the PDP guber candidate, Barr Peter Mbah.
It will however be a tough battle bearing in mind the the PDP is in power and controlling state resources as well as the administration of the entire 17 Local Government Areas in the state.
But surely, for the first time there is a contest and it all promises to be intriguing and interesting.
Keep a date with EverydayNewsngr.net as we keep you updated on politcial developments in the run up to the 2023 general elections in Enugu State.
