The battle for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Enugu-West senatorial district is living up to its billing given the frontal assault between the forces of the state’s outgoing governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime and those of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu
THe titanic battle between Senator Ike Ekweremadu, the deputy president of the Senate and Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Enugu Southwest ticket is daily stretching the nerves of political stakeholders in the state.
Many observers had pointedly seen the governor’s ambition to succeed Ekweremadu as an act aimed at retiring him unduly from active politics especially given the fact that the governor had zoned the 2015 governorship ticket to Enugu-North.
*Chime
Remarkably, both men have continued to mobilise traditional, political and religious groups to project their interests in the battle.
In the battle of wits between both men, the pro-Chime men, fired a salvo penultimate week when they successfully mobilised some traditional rulers in the state to endorse the senatorial ambition of Governor Chime on the basis of what they claimed as his selfless leadership qualities and his unprecedented achievements as governor. The position of the royal fathers was part of a nine-point communiqué issued at the end of the quarterly meeting of the Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers. It was signed by the chairman of the council, Igwe Ambasador Lawrence O.C Agubuzu.
The royal fathers said they noted with “delight the unparalleled, amazing and spectacular quantum leap to modernity which the urban centers and rural areas communities in Enugu State had taken in the past seven years and three months under the governor.”
They also commended Governor Chime for, “not being boastful about his outstanding achievements; for not wasting the resources of Enugu State in advertising his achievements; and for his single-minded, resolute and genuine efforts in entrenching a positive culture of investing the funds of Enugu State in the development of the State. “As members of the Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, we are prepared to support Governor Chime if he seeks elective office in 2015 because of his selfless leadership qualities,” the Royal Fathers added.
They were followed penultimate weekend by some leaders of the PDP and other stakeholders in Enugu-West senatorial district who at a meeting endorsed Governor Sullivan Chime for Enugu-West senatorial seat come 2015.
Led by the Chairmen of the five local government councils and party executives in the zone, they debunked as “baseless and laughable”, the report of the removal from office of the Chairman of the Awgu Local Government Council, Mr Nathanus Nze, a strong loyalist of the governor.
Nze had been purportedly removed from office when a majority of the councillors in his local government who are themselves believed to be loyalists of Ekweremadu sacked him from office. The same group of councillors also removed the leader of the legislative council, Kingsley Okeke.
Nze was especially targeted on account of his leading role in the adoption of the governor for the Senate seat during the stakeholders meeting.
Stakeholders meeting
Ekweremadu’s own endorsements cut across different spectres of the political sphere in Enugu and there is some quiet unease among some that Ekweremadu could in days activate his political structure which reportedly includes some commissioners and top officials of the party and government who had until recently openly queued behind Chime but secretly drifted towards the deputy Senate President.
Conferment of chieftaincy title on Ike Ekweremadu by Oduma Kingdom
Firebrand priest, Revd Fr. Ejike Mbaka had a week ago endorsed Ekweremadu for the Senate in the 2015 general election.
Fr. Mbaka who declared the support during the weekly prayer vigil at the Adoration Ministry ground in Enugu, said the Deputy President of the Senate had done so well and deserved to be re-elected.
He said: “We have had a Senate President, and we have equally had Senators, but it is Senator Ekweremadu that has given the people of Enugu and the South-East the feel of governance.
“Many of the roads and development projects you see around Awgu, Oji-River, Ezeagu, Aninri, and many parts of Enugu and the South-East came courtesy of the quality representation by Senator Ike Ekweremadu.
“Besides, he is here with his wife, he has demonstrated the ability to keep his family, and that is the first test of leadership”.
Describing Ekweremadu as a man with a good heart and compassionate feelings, he said the Adoration Ministry would stand by the Senator to ensure he is returned to continue his good work for Enugu and the South-East geopolitical zone.
He described the impeachment of the former Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi as demonstration of wicked politics.
Charismatic priest
The charismatic priest observed: “How could anybody think of impeaching Sunday Onyebuchi? Did anyone ever hear the quiet man? How many people even knew he was there? Yet they impeached him for rearing poultry whereas the governor himself has poultry, piggery and ranch in the Government House. The Governor’s cattle and all sorts of animal move about and harass people in the Government House“.
PDP stakeholders
Ekweremadu’s own endorsment was solidified last weekend when PDP stakeholders in Udi, Gov. Chime’s hometown endorsed him ahead of their famous son. The stakeholders who were led by Chief Mike Ugwu, a member of the Second Republic House of Representatives said Ekweremadu was better positioned to serve the people than Chime.
The stakeholders who received him were led by Chief Mike Ugwu, a member of House of Representatives in the Second Republic and a native of Udi, hometown of Governor Sullivan Chime.
He said: “I am a stakeholder of PDP in Enugu West and therefore I know everything about PDP. What I’m saying is that Ekweremadu has the capacity of being a senator. Sullivan Chime hasn’t got the attribute, what it takes to be a Senator. “Ike Ekweremadu has performed very well. He has worked hard and that is why we are supporting him.”
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