Enugu 2023: Kinsmen reject Edeoga as Mbah holds town hall meeting in Isi-Uzo
The people of Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State have rejected the Labour Party guber candidate, Chijoke Edeoga and made open their total support for Peter Mbah, the governorship flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party, stressing that he remained the best prepared for the job and their sole candidate in the March 2023 gubernatorial election.
Edeoga who hails from Mgbuji in Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Council was rejected by his people on the basis that he has been busy pursuing his own personal interest since 1998 and playing politics with the lives of his people.
Speaking during the town hall meeting in Isi-Uzo Central, the stakeholders of the development center vowed that they all shall use their votes to disgrace Chijioke Edeoga in the forthcoming governorship election, stating that they witnessed nothing but sorrow since 25 years he has been in politics.
Addressing the people, the Chairman of the PDP in Enugu State, Hon. Augustine Nnamani, extolled Mbah’s emergence as PDP candidate as just, free, and fair, assuring that nobody could sway Isi-Uzo with clannish sentiments.
The people of Isi-Uzo, who trooped out in their thousands at Ikem and Neke, headquarters of Isi-Uzo Central and Amanyi Development Centres, in continuation of the town-hall meetings initiated by Mbah, who spoke through their traditional rulers, presidents-general of town unions, farmers, traders, youth and women associations, religious leaders, commended the PDP gubernatorial standard bearer for availing them the opportunity to hold robust and productive discussions with him.
Citing Mbah’s track record in the private sector as well as his philanthropic efforts through the Peter Mbah Foundation, which they observed had built asphalt roads, hospitals, and awarded scholarships, among others, to better the lives of the ordinary people, Isi-Uzo communities described Dr. Mbah as the most prepared for the job of leading the state and challenged other governorship candidates to present the successful businesses they had built and how they have bettered the lives of their communities.
They lamented that a particular governorship candidate from the area, who defected to an opposition party after enjoying plum positions under the PDP such as council chairman, House of Representatives member, presidential aide and two-term state commissioner had absolutely nothing to show for all the opportunities earlier given to him by the people and the government.
Speaking, the council chairman of Isi-Uzo LGA, Barr. Obiora Obeagu, assured Mbah that Isi Uzo had spoken with one voice by resolving to queue behind his candidacy to lead the state, stressing that the council area had strong reasons to continue to partner with the PDP.
In their separate speeches, the political and community leaders of Isi-Uzo Central and Amanyi Development Centres such as Ambassador Kingsley Ebenyi, Prof. Sam Ugwu, Prof. Ifeanyi Odoziobodo, Mrs. Edith Abonyi, Igwe Okey Ogbodo, Igwe S.C Udogu, Hon. Sylvester Ugwu, Barr. Ephraim Nnamchi, among others, reiterated Isi-Uzo’s support for Mbah’s “prepared leadership”, and appealed to him to address the issues of water reticulation, road infrastructure, rural electrification, agriculture, particularly Ikem-Odenigbo-Ogbadigbo, Ikem-Umualor-Ubahu roads, Imo River Basin Development Authority, Ikem General Hospital, and Nkwo-Neke-Mbu-Ehandiagu, Nkwo Neke – Obollo-eke roads when elected.
In his address, the Chairman of the PDP in Enugu State and an indigene of Isi-Uzo, Hon. Augustine Nnamani, said the people had long spoken even before Dr. Mbah’s town hall meetings by empathically turning down the overtures by the opposition.
“Our people are wise and we love justice and fairness. When we said it was Enugu East’ zone’s turn, all the candidates from the zone met with the traditional rulers at Igwe Julius Nnaji’s palace. The candidates also later signed an MoU in Nike committing to rally round any of them that eventually emerged as the flagbearer.
“The party eventually chose Dr. Mbah because of his track record and experience. So, he is a product of equity and fairness and nobody can come to Isi-Uzo and deceive us. It will never happen”, he assured.
Responding, Mbah assured the people that he would prioritise the development of Isi-Uzo and reciprocate their support through quality leadership that would address their needs, build new Infrastructure, create more jobs, and tackle insecurity when elected.
Describing the state’s vast lands as its own crude oil, the gubernatorial candidate assured that his administration would turn the lands into productive assets and unleash Isi-Uzo and Enugu’s agro-allied industrial potentials such that crime would be unattractive while criminals would have nowhere to hide.
Noting that infrastructure was key to achieving of his vision and mission for the state, Dr. Peter Mbah reaffirmed his commitment to attracting strategic projects that would address insecurity, engage the youths in productive ventures, and open the communities for development.
