Breaking: Odengene’s close associate pulls out, declares support for Mbah

The factional Labour Party governorship candidate in Enugu State, Captain Evarest Nnaji, popularly known as Odengene, has suffered a heavy setback as his notable associate and diehard supporter, Hon. Arthur Edeh, led thousands of other supporters away from his political structure, saying he remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state.

Edeh who led most of Odengene’s loyalists and staunch apologists to the party, said the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Peter Mbah will meet the people’s desire for more infrastructure and industrialisation of the state.

Leading a support group, Enugu Concerned Citizens Initiative, ECCI, for the formal endorsement and election of the PDP guber flagbearer, Edeh, who’s the Director General of the group, assured the PDP of their support in the forthcoming elections.

“As 2023 draws near, which is also the transition year; we deem it fit to play a formidable part in ensuring that Ndi-Enugu elect a credible, competent and quality leadership come 2023 General Elections,” the ECCI DG further said.

The event came to its climax when one of the coordinators and lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Dr. Chibuike Ogbonna passed a vote of endorsement on the industrialist, saying after their investigation and thorough scrutiny on whom to vote for, they came to the conclusion that Mbah is the best candidate that will transform Enugu State and give the people the best leadership they deserve.

Stressing that Mbah’s mission is a divine mandate, Ogbonna maintained that they carried out their background checks on the governorship hopeful and were convinced that his success story in the private sector will be replicated in the state.

The group promised to use their popularity and influence across the 17 local government areas in the state to woo voters for the PDP standard bearer.

Reacting to his endorsement by the group, Dr. Mbah said the endorsement has further strengthened his support base ahead of the election.

Mbah who recalled the we event that transpired before and after the PDP primary elections in the state, said primaries, as they’re known across the world, are internal affairs which were not meant to be settled with conflict but through dialogue.

The ruling party’s candidate who further commended the group support as timely and in order for the progress of the party and the state, promised that nobody would be abandoned by the PDP, even as he said the ECCI will be integrated in the party campaign structure.

Presenting his programmes for the state when he wins, Mbah said his administration will be driven by ambitious projects that will transform the face of the state and move the economy from $4 billion to $30 billion dollars.

He noted that, through his industrialisation policy, youths will be engaged in meaningful employment, adding that the state will migrate from public service to private sector driven economy through technology.

It will be recalled that Odengene defected from the PDP to Labour Party after losing the party’s governorship ticket to Mbah in May, 2022. The aviation mogul had since locked horns with Mr. Chijioke Edeoga, on who is the right candidate of Labour Party in the state, Edeoga having also lost the PDP guber ticket in a keenly contested primary election.