People of Enugu North Senatorial zone on Saturday, expressed gratitude to their son, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State for his good governance and laudable programmes in the state, particularly in Enugu north zone and assured him of their support at the forthcoming polls.
The people ,comprising of Igbo-Eze North, Igbo-Eze South, Nsukka, Uzo-Uwani, Igbo-Etiti and Udenu local government areas, unanimously endorsed Governor Ugwuanyi, who is the senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the zone and promised to vote massively for Governor Ugwuanyi for Senate, the PDP governorship candidate, Dr. Peter Mbah and his running mate, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai for governor and deputy governor respectively, in the forthcoming general elections.
They expressed their gratitude during the Enugu North Senatorial zone mega rally/endorsement of PDP candidates in the forthcoming elections held at the newly constructed Nsukka township Stadium .
The people said that Governor Ugwuanyi deserves their commendation and maximum support at the polls in recognition of his contributions to the transformation of Nsukka zone after decades of neglect, adding that the governor has changed the narrative by giving the zone a facelift, a name and identity through the conceptualisation and establishment of the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS) Igbo-Eno, Enugu State; attraction of a federal polytechnic to Ohodo, Igbo-Etiti LGA; construction of an ultra-modern township stadium in Nsukka; massive construction of roads in the zone, including the 13km Opi-Nsukka dual carriage way with underground drainage system and fitted with street and traffic lights for the first time in the history of Nsukka zone, the 31km Udenu Ring Road, among others.
Speaking the Chairman of the Planning Committee and former Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Ezenwata Okechukwu Itanyi, said that Governor Ugwuanyi’s achievements in Enugu North Senatorial zone in spite of the state’s lean resources and nation’s economic, security and public health challenges were remarkable and visible.
Endorsing Governor Ugwuanyi and other PDP candidates, the traditional rulers led by the Deputy Chairman, Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Igwe Barr. R.S.N Eze, reiterated their endorsement of Governor Ugwuanyi for Senate, Dr. Mbah and Barr. Ossai for governor and deputy governor respectively, party’s candidates for House of Representatives and House of Assembly seats, saying: “On behalf of the traditional rulers, we are all raising our hands up blessing you people, asking God to lead you people, all of us will vote for you to go to where you desire, all of us are supporting you. We are blessing all of you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.”
In his speech, an elder statesman, Chief Maxi Ukuta, said that God used Governor Ugwuanyi to show Nsukka people the light they had been yearning for, saying: “You (Ugwuanyi) touched hearts, infrastructure, people in the 17 local government areas of Enugu State but there are envious people and you will be wondering why all their plotting doesn’t normally get to you. The reason is that all these people plotting against you are the people you have offered a great help, people you have bettered their lives. God will not allow their evil plot to get to you.”
In their speeches, the Secretary of the Planning Committee and lawmaker, representing Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Dr. Pat Asadu; the lawmaker, representing Igbo-Etiti/Uzo-Uwani Federal Constituency and PDP candidate, Rt. Hon. Dr. Martins Oke, the lawmakers representing Igbo-Etiti East and Nsukka East constituencies, Rt. Hon. Ezenta Ezeani and Rt. Hon. Dr. Chinedu Nwamba, Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Enugu State Chapter, Hon. Solomon Onah, said that the Enugu North Senatorial zone mega endorsement rally was a reaffirmation of the earlier declaration by the people of Nsukka zone in 2021 in support of Governor Ugwuanyi and the PDP, the governor’s choice of successor and his political decisions in respect of the 2023 general election.
They thanked the people of Nsukka zone for reconfirming their support for the governor and the PDP, urging them to translate their support fully by coming out en masse to vote for candidates of the PDP at the polls.
In his remarks, the PDP Deputy governorship candidate, Barr. Ossai, expressed gratitude to the people for their solidarity and support, assuring the people that Dr. Mbah’s administration, if elected, will complete any ongoing project of the present administration of Governor Ugwuanyi.
Speaking, the PDP governorship candidate, Dr. Mbah, thanked God for the success of the rally. He thanked Governor Ugwuanyi for making their “aspirations in the state accomplished.”
Mbah said that Governor Ugwuanyi has created a conjugal relationship between Enugu North Senatorial zone and Enugu East Senatorial zone saying, “That marriage that you have created is one that is going to last forever, generations of our children’s children would of course acknowledge that act of yours.”
“When the history of Enugu State will be read out, posterity would reward you (Ugwuanyi) and posterity will reserve a noble seat for you for this conjugal relationship you have created between Ndi Enugu North and Enugu East.
“You have cemented that by your action we are seeing here today. We have no doubt in our mind Your Excellency, that the support we are getting from our people, in a few days time they are going to express that at the polling units.
“I would like to assure the people of Enugu North Senatorial District that what you are going to witness under our administration is a continuity of the great work that you have, that His Excellency has begun. We are going to ensure that the people of Enugu North feel the impact of our developmental mileage. The fact that enabled this dream means that we are going to ensure a manifest regard to them from the role they have played; in the consequential role they have played to our emergence.”
Speaking, Governor Ugwuanyi recalled that the Enugu North Zonal rally of November 21, 2020 was an occasion for a quasi-referendum on his administration’s stewardship. He said that Nsukka people’s generous plaudits for his administration’s modest achievements, votes of confidence in his leadership, reaffirmation of the support and solidarity, “and commitment to our brotherhood and loyal friendship, on that occasion, were highly motivating.”
He said: “I am reassured that we have delivered the goals in tandem with your expectation. I, therefore, avail myself this opportunity to convey my profound gratitude for your love and reiterate my fidelity to you, in all respect, for charity indeed begins at home. I am proudly and happily your son and would never wish for anything else.
“Your non-partisan endorsement of all our candidates in the 2023 general elections signposts the acceptability of our party and the propriety of the choices of our candidates for all the elections.”
Governor Ugwuanyi who expressed confidence that the people have collected their Permanent Voters Cards, urged them to go out en masse and do the needful on February 25 and March 11, 2023 respectively, saying: “Vote wisely, vote umbrella. I enjoin you to stay the course of peace and civilised conduct which characterise us as a people.”
He thanked all the leaders, traditional rulers, clergymen, stakeholders and the good people of Enugu North Senatorial zone for organizing the event , all his staff, friends, associates, well-wishers and gentlemen of the press for their support..