The four Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors in the Southeast – Emeka Ihedioha (Imo); Dave Umahi (Ebonyi); Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) – did not attend Sunday’s zonal meeting in Anambra State.
The meeting, however, was attended by zonal PDP Chairman Austine Umahi and governorship hopefuls for Anambra 2021.
Leading the pack of governorship hopefuls were Dr Obiora Okonkwo, Senator Uche Ekwunife and Chris Azubuogu.
They vowed to work together to ensure victory in the 2021 governorship election to make the zone a PDP-controlled zone. They also vowed to prevent moneybags from hijacking the party.
Umahi urged interested aspirants to work hard rather than hoping to hijack the party.
He said: “We’re happy that Anambra PDP today is one family. There is no faction in the party, and I assure you that under my watch, no one man can hijack this party.
“My wish is that under my watch, Anambra will join PDP. I am not in doubt that you have the capacity to do this. You have people in Anambra who are capable, and the party in the state also has the resources.
“When we started working to win Imo State, I was going to the state weekly. It was like a joke but today Imo is a PDP state. We hope Anambra will be the fifth PDP state in the southeast, and when I am handing over, I will do so happy.”
Anambra State Chairman Ndubuisi Nwobu said the party would not do any form of merchandising in the election. He urged those interested in contesting the governorship to seek the people’s support and not think of inducing the party to hand them the ticket on a platter.
He said: “Anambra PDP comprises people who are easy to govern. I found this out since I became the chairman. All you need to cage an Anambra man is to keep telling him the truth. As elections approach, I want to say there won’t be merchandising. The primary election of will be very transparent.”
