In this piece, CHARLES ONYEKWERE, South-East Correspondent, analyses the chances of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through its gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, reclaiming Ebonyi in the 2023 general elections following the crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), over who is the authentic governorship torchbearer in the state.
Since the return of democratic rule in 1999, Ebonyi State had predominantly been a PDP stronghold. The party had grown and become a political identity of the people. However, this feat was lost in November 2020, when Governor David Umahi joined the All Progressives Congress(APC).
Umahi cited injustice and marginalization against the people of the South-East zone as his reasons of leaving the Party that gave him power as governor of the state in 2015 and 2019.
Aggrieved by Umahi’s defection, the stakeholders of the PDP never relented in exploring all measures and strategies to reclaim the State.
In the first instance, all the three Senators, Five House of Representatives members remained in the PDP and major stakeholders of the Party remained tight, focused and resolute in the party.
Consequently, the National Working Committee of the Party dissolved Barrister Onyekachi Nwebonyi led executive, and further appointed Elder Fred Udeogu, as the State Acting Chairman.
The NWC also appointed Barrister Onu Silas Onu as the Acting Publicity Secretary among others. With the appointments, the PDP stakeholders started to rebuild the party amidst difficulties and threats as alleged from the new government of the APC in the State.
Though the PDP was fragmented after the congresses of the Party in the state which also spilled up to the last primary elections of the party, but genuine realignment and reconciliation seem to have initiated. Some of the aggrieved aspirants have reconciled and joined the “rescue mission” to take back the State.
During the congress, the Party was factionalized at instance of Barrister Silas Onu and Tochukwu Okorie as state chairmen of the party. Onu challenged the legality of the emergence of Okorie as the State chairman and won in the Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki. The court ruled that Barrister Onu was the valid candidate and winner of the chairmanship election of the Party.
As political aspirations heightened, stakeholders divided themselves along the two factions. The two camps operate on different offices and locations. They also conducted parallel primaries.
While a Nigerian entrepreneur and philanthropist, Dr. Ifeanyi Odii, popularly known as Anyichuks emerged the governorship candidate in Onu’s PDP; the Senator representing Ebonyi Central, Senator Obinna Ogba emerged the governorship candidate in Okorie’s faction.
Fortunately or unfortunately, both winners were presented Certificates of Return by the PDP. First, the NWC cancelled the primaries already conducted by Onu where Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii emerged and rescheduled it. In the rescheduled election, the NWC mandated Okorie to preside over it as the authentic chairman. In the election, Ogba emerged and was immediately presented with certificate of return.
Odii approached Abakaliki Federal High Court and got a judgement that nullified the rescheduled elections and ordered that Odii should be given his Certificate of Return, which the party complied to.
Somehow, it is confusing who are the authentic candidates for PDP in all the positions but from some indications, it appear that NWC has finally settled for Odii and all the candidates in his line up. This development has also crippled the support base of Okorie’s group, as most of their stakeholders and supporters have joined Odii.
With Odii as the guber candidate of PDP, it may be difficult if not impossible for APC to win the state in 2023. A lot of factors are already killing the fortunes of APC in the State.
Like PDP, APC also conducted parallel governorship primaries in the State. The Speaker of the State House of Assembly and Umahi’s preferred choice, Hon. Francis Nwifuru and the former Chairman of Revenue Mobilization, Account and Fiscal Commission, Engr Elias Mbam are at each other’s jugular over who will eventually fly the ticket of the APC.
This development has created sharp division in Ebonyi APC, even worsened by the clanish disunity amongst the two groups.
Odii’s PDP has the brightest chances of winning Ebonyi governorship election in 2023 amongst other candidates. The State PDP chairman, Barrister Onu also said he was convinced that PDP will reclaim Ebonyi state.
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Barrister Onu said: “Yes I believe, very strongly, that PDP will win the 2023 General Election both at the national level and in Ebonyi State. The reasons are not far-fetched, as even a political neophyte will agree that the APC has underperformed in all ramifications”.
“Their underperformance is beneath abysmal and as such paves the way for a strong comeback for the PDP. Nigerians have now got the privilege of comparison and are very convinced that bringing in APC was a catastrophic mistake. The nation has never been as divided as it is today”.
“Insecurity is worse than any period in the history of Nigeria. The economy plummets on a daily basis. Education has been relegated to beyond the backbench. Productivity is now grounded to ground zero. So, there is no defensible rationale to imagine that APC will win even one State in Nigeria. 2023 will be different and those planning on using the Police to rig elections should have a rethink as the Police hierarchy are also determined to enforce patriotism amongst their rank and file, including senior officers. This nation has to be rescued and it is now”.
“AnyiChuks represents a breath of fresh air. He is a visible sign of departure from the depressing and retrogressive political dominance that held sway in Ebonyi State. Our people have invested so much in governance, but have nothing to show for their loyalty all these years. AnyiChuks is here to impact directly, the lives of our people. The people are the centerpiece of his political intervention and this is his focus”.
According to sources, Anyichuks was open for zoning so that power will shift to Ebonyi North but when Ogba and other contestants from Central zone were head-bent on contesting for the position, Anyichuks threw in his financial weight and clinge the ticket amid controversies.
For now in the state, the campaign train of Anyichuks is a movement. Some members of other political parties are moving in droves to the PDP. The reason for these mass movement is not far-fetched. For money politics, no one including the State government can match Anyichuks.
Born on April 17, 1977, Anyichuks is a Nigerian entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is well known as the CEO of Orient Global Group and President, Ultimus Holdings. He has vast experience and boast of over 20 years in managing businesses across various sectors.
He went to Isu Achara primary school and Isu Secondary school for his primary and secondary education respectively.
He has a bachelors degree in Buisness Adminsitration from National Open University and was conferred with a Doctor of Science degree in Strategic Business Management & Corporate Governance by the European American University in the Republic of Panama.
Ifeanyi was not born with a silver spoon and hence had humble beginning which influenced his service to humanity. He has been able to touch lives both home and abroad as he has built over 100 homes for indigents in the rural areas.
He also built churches, schools and offered scholarships to over 1000 students with yearly medical screening via his foundation, Ebele and Anyichuks Foundation which he founded and named after himself and his wife
He is the founder of Orient Global Group with subsidiary companies; Orient Global manufacturing, Orient Haulage & Logistics, Purity Aggro-Allied Ltd and so on.
His manifesto is quite encouraging, attracting and revealing his preparedness for governance. At many fora, he assured that his vision and mission is to industrialize Ebonyi through his business contacts and connections so that there will be promotion of welfare and jobs for the citizens.
Speaking during the formal inauguration of his campaign office in Abakaliki and sensitization on the Permanent Voters Card registration, Anyichuks noted that his main focus would be wealth creation.
He said: “I am committed to diversify the state economy and upscale the human empowerment indices for the people if elected as governor. The goal is to create wealth for the people, which I have been doing. We can transform Ebonyi together and we can do it come 2023”.
“I urge all aggrieved members of our party to embrace peace in order to win at all levels in the general elections. Politcs of disunity will only slow us down over the strategies to win during the election, but we shall overcome them.
“Let us come together in soladality with a common purpose”. To the electorates, go and get your PVC and on the day of elelction, you go out and cast your vote and I believe your vote will surely count”.
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