2023: Atiku/Okowa Crusaders storm Enugu, meet with Ex Councillors , Appointees and stakeholders
BY JUDE OSSAI / ENUGU
The Enugu the Enugu State capital on Wednesday stood still as a pro-Atiku/Okowa supporters storm the Coal City to inaugurate its maiden meeting tagged “The Crusaders”.
The meeting which started at 1.20pm took place at Anamco Cub, GRA, Enugu and attracted dignitaries far and wide including former Local Government Councillors, serving political office holders and stakeholders of the party in the state.
Speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State on Youths Development, Barrister Ikechukwu Maduemezia, said the event was basically to advance the course of his principal and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the grassroot.
Maduemezia said he was overwhelmed by the large turn out of seasoned grassroot mobilizers in the state, stressing that the 2023 general election will not be based on ethnicity and religion but on capacity and antecedent of candidates.
“We want you to take the message of hope, the message of unity of this country, message of total integration of all segments of this country, message of survival, message of emancipation from APC misrule to every nook and cranny of this country.
“PDP under Atiku/Okowa is the answer. Look at the dwindling fortunes of our currency. Our children in the public universities are out of school for over seven months.
“The shape of our economy is so bad. These were not seen under the PDP regime. Atiku/Okowa has come for rescue mission,” he said.
He apologised for the absence of National Coordinator Barr. Perez Omonu.
“We are here to reinstate that there is need for PDP to have a formidable structure.
“Election this time is based on antecedent. I am happy that Atiku Abubakar excelled as Vice President and as leader of the Economic Team under President Olusegun Obasanjo that bailed Nigeria out of its economic woes and debt while Governor Okowa’s foot print in Delta State is unequalled, ” he said.
Maduemezia advised the stakeholders to carry the message of the rescue mission to the various local government areas, units and wards so that they can vote for Atiku/Okowa whose capacity to rule Nigeria supersedes other candidates in the country.
He recalled with nostalgia his days as undergraduate in Enugu, saying that, it is strategic hence the movement of the “The Crusaders” to kick off from the city.
In his speech, the Special Special Assistant to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the Coordinator Enugu State Chapter Hon. Chidiebere Okoh
said that “Enugu is PDP and PDP is Enugu”, reiterating that PDP has a strong structure in Enugu.
“Whatever is happening in PDP is a family issue that will be amicably resolved soon. We are happy for the event today and we will carry the message to the grassroot. All the councillors from 1999 to date are here. I can count them one by one seated here, ” he said.
Various speakers at the event including the Secretary of the Councillors’ Forum, Enugu State, Barrister Ike Owoh, agreed that the youths of the country and the elders have been relegated to the background by the All Progressives Congress (APC) government at the centre, lamenting that the needed change canvassed by the APC is now a mirage.
They affirmed to support Atiku/Okowa in their bid to rescue the country, but, however appealed that they should follow the right channel in the state to realise their dream.
It was observed that the moment the news of the “The Crusaders” meeting filtered into the ears of Enugu residents, many of them ran to the venue at GRA to have a glimpse of the visitors.
