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THE NEW FACE OF OPPOSITION IN ENUGU STATE
Gone are the days when the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) clinches all elective positions in Enugu state without sweat. The Labour party in 2023, stirred a strong opposition that broke the jinx of more than two decades producing of all elective positions in the state by PDP.
The current political dynamics in the state is an indication that the All Progressives Congress (APC) have woken up from its slumber to challenge the control of Enugu state by PDP in 2027.
A brief political history of the state since the inception of the fourth democratic process in 1999 showed that aspirants who struggled their way or were nominated as candidates of the party in every election, counts himself or herself to have won the election. Eventually, it would become a reality.
However, In the 2023 elections, the newly formed Labour Party(LP) stirred a political tsunami in the state, The LP produced two senators of out three, six out of eight members of the House of Representatives and fourteen out of the twenty four members of the state House of Assembly.
But as the saying goes in Politics, ’There is no permanent friend or enemy but interest’, most of the politicians elected on the platform of Labour Party arty in Enugu State later either joined PDP or APC.
It is likely to be all over for Labour Party in Enugu state, as its governorship candidate, Hon.Barr.Chijioke Edeoga has rejoined PDP.. Except for Hon.Harrison Ogara representing Igbo South constituency, all the other state legislators elected on the platform of LP, have found reasons to join PDP.
The six House of Representatives members have either joined PDP or APC, basing their reason as the lingering crisis ravaging the national leadership of the party. At the last count, the Senator representing Enugu East Senatorial district, Senator Kelvin Chukwu, elected on the platform of Labour Party, on Monday, June 30 joined APC.
As it stands, the three Enugu state senators in the 10th National Assembly have their loyalties to three different parties. They are Senator Barr.Okey Ezea representing Enugu North Senatorial district (LP), Senator Osita Ngwu of Enugu West district (PDP) and Senator Kelvin Chukwu, representing Enugu East district (APC).
By implication, both the PDP and APC gained from the smearing disintegration of Labour party in Enugu state.
Coupled with its own national leadership crises, the atmosphere of uncertainty is hovering in Enugu state PDP ahead of 2027 general election to the extent that the APC is glowing with the coming of Labour Party stakeholders into it.
However, the state chairman of APC in Enugu state, Barr.Ugoh Agballah stated that the party took time to weed off certain personalities who were APC at Abuja but turned to PDP, when they came back to Enugu.
There are strong indications that the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji is being gingered to step in as the Enugu state APC governorship candidate in 2027. The reasons are not far fetched. He is among the stakeholders of the party in the state who are vigorously involved in selling “the good works of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu” in the state, and encouraging the people to remain steadfast with his administration, in addition to welcoming new members into the party.
Speaking at a ceremony to welcome new entrants into the APC at Aku, in Igbo Etiti local government area, Chief Nnaji attributed the rising popularity of the APC in the state to the impactful projects being executed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
He said the economic hardship in Enugu state stems from excessive taxation policy by the PDP-led administration.
Hear him, ”Today, Enugu ranks as the second most expensive city in Nigeria, despite being a civil service town. This reflects the economic quagmire the state is currently facing,”
Chief Nnaji said that APC is now strategically positioned to take over governance in Enugu State by 2027. He beckoned on the citizens to continue to support APC and re-elect President Tinubu, to enhance the chances of attracting more federal appointments and infrastructure into Enugu state.
The Enugu state APC Chairman Chief Agballah in his speech, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for the ongoing reconstruction of the Ninth Mile–Opi–Makurdi Road, which is being upgraded to a dual carriageway, along with other federal projects being executed in Enugu state.
A fortnight ago, the minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, also attended a crowded Enugu state APC rally at Akama Oghe, Ezeagu local government area of Enugu state, that marked the official declaration of Hon.Sunday Cyriacus Umeha for APC. Hon.Umeha who represents Udi/Ezeagu Federal Constituency in the lower House of the National Assembly, was elected on the platform of Labour Party. He collapsed his structure through out the 40 wards in Udi/Ezeagu Federal Constituency into APC.
Also, two House of Representatives members, Hon. Sam Atu, representing Enugu North and South Urban Constituency as well as Hon. Sunday Nnamchi, Enugu East/Isiuzo federal constituency, who were elected on the platform of Labour Party, have all decamped to APC.
