By Prince Ejeh Josh
…We’ll accommodate all your supporters, Mbah assures
An aspirant and one of the foremost contenders in the recently concluded Peoples’ Democratic Party’s governorship primary election in Enugu state, Captain Evarest Nnaji, popularly known as “Odengene” has thrown his weight behind the party’s gubernatorial flagbearer, Barr. Peter Mbah and other PDP candidates against the forthcoming general elections slated to hold in 2023.
Odengene made this known to his teeming supporters across the 17 local government areas of the state in a grand reception organised in honour of Barr. Mbah on Sunday, 12th June, 2022 in his compound at the Government Reservation Area (GRA), Enugu.
Addressing the mammoth crowds, Odengene stated that the party was supreme and bigger than individual’s interest to a collective interests. He underscored the struggle that took place in the run up to the party’s primaries and appreciated his supporters for the decorous and civilized ways they conducted themselves through the campaign period.
While recounting the intrigues that played out before the primary elections, Odengene recalled his several meetings with Barr. Mbah and their mutual agreement to support each other should any of them emerge the party’s flagbearer.
According to him, the reception was necessary in order to inform his different support groups the new direction and to also assure the party’s flagbearer that he was solidly behind him.
Adding that he would leave no stone unturned until the PDP is declared winner in 2023, Odengene pledged to mobilize for Barr. Mbah’s campaign tours both financial and human resources and even after his emergence as governor of the state. He, therefore, charged his cheering supporters to join hands and work with the flagbearer.
“I thank you all for your support. I was overwhelmed with the level of support I received from you across the 17 local government areas throughout our journey until the election day. Even after that, you kept faith with our mission. I’m honoured and we shall continue to work together for the development of our state.
“Let me inform you that our journey has not ended with the outcome of the primary election. We are still in the race but in a different dimension. We are going to channel all our support and energy to see that our brother, friend, kinsman and ally, Barr. Mbah is given a resounding victory in 2023. We must, therefore, continue to mobilize for him. We must support the PDP. It’s our great party. It’s time to harness all our resources towards the electoral victory of Barr. Mbah.
“Barr. Mbah is my brother and we are from the same local government area—Nkanu East. He is competent and qualified for the job. Like myself, he is a successful industrialist and businessman. He will be bringing his wealth of experiences to bear in the transformation of our state. It’s time to give him total support and ensure his total victory,” the pilot-prenuer added.
On his part, the party’s flagbearer, Barr. Mbah expressed his delight at what he saw. He described the struggle to the Lion Building come 2023 as a collective project that entailed the contribution of everyone.
According to Mbah, nobody in Odengene’s camp would be discriminated against, assuring that all interests would be accommodated and treated with equal priority.
Mbah who further said that the primary election of last month was a like a family affair among siblings added that he was only nominated to represent the interests of others. He, therefore, called for merger of all interests groups in order to deliver his candidacy in the general elections.
“I want you to understand that we are all going to merge because we’ve been together and we’ll always be together, and you’re not going to be discriminated. You’re all going to be part of the campaign going forward. Nobody is coming to say to you that you’re not one of us or that you don’t belong to our team.
“We are all one. We are one big PDP family. That umbrella is big enough to accommodate everybody.
“I want to tell you also in that line, and to remind you that we still have a task ahead. That task is one we have with the adversaries. Those adversaries are the ones we must defeat. It’s not the type we had on the 26 of last month. That one was Umunna dialogue. The one ahead is a serious task and we have to begin to mobilize. We have to begin to put our people together to get them ready for that task ahead. That’s the one we have to go as a family and defeat the adversaries.
“I’m delighted that this is happening now because we are all going to be together. There’ll be no discrimination. I’m going to talk to my people, and everybody is going to be well integrated.
“I’m going to be meeting with whoever is the head of your organization, and we’re going to make sure it’s an integral part of what we are doing; from the hierarchy—state, zonal, local government and ward levels are all going to be integrated,” the 2023 governorship hopeful assured.
Meanwhile, members of the Odengene People’s Movement have indicated their readiness to give Mbah 100 percent victory in the forthcoming election by harnessing their grassroots mobilisation strength to draw voters towards his transformation agenda for the state.
