By Prince Ejeh Josh
…say Chimaroke remains bonafide PDP senatorial candidate
Some groups of civil society organizations operating in the country with branches in Enugu State have called on eligible voters in Enugu East Senatorial Zone to consider re-electing all the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the National Assembly and the State House of Assembly in the forthcoming elections.
The groups acting under the aegis of, “International Coalition of Good Governance and Transparency Advocacy” in a statement released yesterday in Enugu, commended the lawmakers from the zone for their excellent representations even as they expressed confidence that their re-election will spur them to do more for the people.
The pro-democracy interest group appealed to aggrieved members of the zone to sheathe their swords and see the PDP as the only credible political party that can continue to deliver dividends of democracy, massive infrastructure, and other laudable projects to the senatorial district.
It extolled the leadership precedent of the lawmaker representing Nkanu West/Nkanu East Federal Constituency, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji, saying he was able to alter governance narrative in the last four years through robust development plans that have changed his constituency, adding that his election was already a done deal.
While recognizing the impact of the senator representing the zone, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, the civil society organization lauded his landmark achievements in the areas of the girl-child education, employment of youths into federal parastatals and extension of his foundation to alleviate the plights of the aged and the less privileged.
The group, however, dismissed as fake news, the report that Senator Nnamani’s name had been withdrawn from the race, and urged the people to disregard it as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) published his name in the final list of qualified candidates it recently released.
“Senator Chimaroke Nnamani is still actively in the race. He is still the candidate of the PDP. He deserves support from the good people of the zone. We appeal to the electorate to queue behind him at the polls,” the statement tersely reads.
According to the statement, signed by its Director, Chief Ozoani Udechukwu, it would also be in the best interest of the citizens and the electorate to return the candidates representing Enugu South/Enugu North Federal Constituency, and Enugu East/Isi Uzo Federal Constituency, Hon. Offor Chukwuegbo and Hon. Cornelius Nnaji, respectively, as their re-elections will deepen democracy by ensuring continuity of good governance.
The Influential coalition also urged the people to vote for the Nkanu East House of Assembly candidate under the PDP, Hon. Okechukwu Mbah, and his Nkanu West counterpart, Hon. Iloabuchi Aniagu, saying they had done well in the previous offices held by them and would continue to represent the people in the most responsive and responsible capacity.
“We want to appeal to the people of Enugu East Senatorial Zone to come out in their large numbers and encourage their neighbours to also consider exercising their franchise on the day of elections, particularly on the February 25 and March 11. They are part of the process and returning the good leaders that have been representing well will be in the interest of our people.
“In particular, we will like to salute the courage of lawmakers like Hon. Pharmacist Nnolim Nnaji who has changed the trajectory of governance, redefined what lawmaking is all about by sponsoring some of the legacy bills in the 9th National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and pioneer some projects that had eluded government in his constituency since the return of democracy in 1999.
“Hon. Nnolim’s massive projects ranging from road construction, traders, women and youths empowerments, robust rehabilitations of secondary and primary schools which have complemented the efforts of the state government, installation of solar powered lights across different communities, attraction of water scheme to farmer’s facilitation of agricultural grant. These are laudable and massive, and his continuity will help his people to enjoy more of them.
“His Excellency, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani has done well for the senatorial district and has been described as a silent achiever in the 9th National Assembly. Our interest as a coalition of civil society organizations is centred on his commendable efforts in enhancing free education for the girl-child, and we are happy with that impressive record.
“We are in a society where the female child has been discriminated against based on gender. But the Senator found it worthy to take the challenge upon himself by paying for their school fees, including free international and national examinations such as the West African Examinations Council and the Nation Examination Council, which the senior students take every year as their final examinations in colleges. There are many more that the Senator is doing right now to better the lives of his constituents.
“This is why we are appealing to the people of the zone to return these PDP candidates including their colleagues in the other parts of the state. It is important to stress our concerns about the fake news some opposition parties are spreading against the senator and his senatorial ambition. The good people of Enugu State and the zone in particular should ignore the fake news as Senator Chimaroke remains the PDP candidate for the senatorial district,” part of the statement further reads.
