[From CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki]
About 37 aspirants from the South East were screened by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Committee for governorship election, Thursday.
The aspirants from Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu states were screened at the party’s zonal office of the PDP in Enugu.
The aspirants include those from Ebonyi State: Fide Nwankwo; Chris Usulor; Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii (Anyichuks); Igwe Nwagu and Anayo Edwin. Others from Ebonyi are; Chukwuma Nwazunku; Augustine Nwazunku; Sylvester Ogbaga; Emmanuel Eze; Anayo Edwin and Obinna Ogba.
Abia aspirants include; Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Nnanna Nwafor; Don Lulu; Senator Emma Nwaka and former VC ABSU, Prof. Uchenna Ikonne (Ikpeazu’s rumoured anointed candidate). Others also from Abia are; Chima Anyaso, Ude Oko Chukwu, Lucky Igbokwe; Hon. Samson Orji; Chief Ncheta Omerekpe and Engr Nana Nwafor.
Those who have so far been screened for Enugu include; Senator Ike Ekweremadu; Denge Joseph Onoh; Chinyeaka Ohaa, Barth Nnaji, Dr. Gabriel Ajah and Prof. Hilary Edeoga.
Others are Chijioke Edeoga, Peter Mba, Senator Gil Nnaji; Capt Evarest Nnaji; Beloved Dan Anike; Rev. Raph Nwoye; Chief Chikwado Chukwunta; Dr. Kingsley Udeh and Barr. Nwabueze Ugwu.
Some of the screened aspirants, in separate interviews at the party’s zonal secretariat, Enugu, commended the party’s leadership and the screening committee for transparency of the ongoing exercise.
Speaking with Journalists shortly after the screening, Obinna Ogba, from Ebonyi State expressed optimistic to come out successful in the screening.
Ogba who insisted that Ebonyi State is a PDP state said “Ebonyi is not being controlled under APC, the government of Ebonyi is APC but Ebonyi is still home of PDP and you will soon agree with me that no APC guy will win in Ebonyi state as the state still belongs to PDP.
Also, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who wants to govern Abia State, described the exercise as credible and straightforward.
“I am impressed with what I have just passed through. It does show how remarkably improved PDP has become in its process.
“The people know who their champions are. We have all it takes and we have been screened.”
On his part, the Former Deputy President of the Senate, said “Today, the PDP is holding the screening exercise of its gubernatorial aspirants in the South East and all over the country, zone by zone. In the South East, the exercise is taking place in Enugu and it is an important step in the party’s preparations for the 2023 general election.
“But because there is no governorship election coming up in 2023 in Imo State where there is already an All Progressives Congress (APC) in place and Anambra where an All Progressives Grand Alliance Government (APGA) government was recently installed based on an off-season election, the governorship aspirants screening exercise in the South East is only holding for Enugu, Abia, and Ebonyi aspirants.
“So, I have gone to meet with the panel and I have been successfully screened. It was quite smooth and the people were quite friendly and courteous. The system is perfect and we hope that the exercise will continue to be smooth as I met it.
“I am sure the National Assembly and State Assembly aspirants, who had their exercise yesterday probably had the same experience of a smooth process, which is exactly what we have been advocating. Let us have a transparent and smooth process.
“PDP has come a long way and should be able to have sufficient experience to manage this kind of process and I can see the experience coming to play.So, I want to thank the officials of the PDP in Enugu State and the South East for a job well done so far”, he stated.
Also, the Chairman, Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), Dr. Joseph Onoh who spoke to Journalists shortly after the screening described the exercise as lovely
“It was a lovely exercise. That’s why I’m actually here smiling. I’ve actually have so much confidence I will scale through the primaries because I have faith in Enugu politics.
“There are things that you should have faith, if you actually Christians, and you believe that faith can move mountains. So why won’t my own faith make me become governor?