Obaze flags off campaign, promises to win Anambra guber poll

Alphonsus Nweze, Awka

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 18 Anambra State governorship election, Chief Oseloka Obaze, has assured the people of the state that he was set to demystify the ruling All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the state and dislodge Governor Willie Obiano from the government House in Awka.
Speaking in Onitsha during the flag off of the PDP gubernatorial campaign in the state, Obaze said himself and his running mate were in a mission to take back Anambra State Government House, saying “Anambra State is challenged.

The state is broken. Despite the propaganda and the hype, the system is not working.”

He lamented that Anambra which used to be the first in the country in education sector has now moved to sixth or seventh position, adding also that the money that the Peter Obi administration was giving to old people in the state was no more coming, hence the old people in the state are now suffering.

Obaze said Governor Obiano had received about N455 billion in the last three and half years, but that the infrastructure on the ground in the state does not reflect such whopping amount, saying that this cannot be allowed to continue in the state.

According to him, his mission is to hand power back to the people, urging those who are aggrieved, especially those who contested the primary with him to return to the party and join him to unseat Obiano from the Government House, Awka.

Also speaking, former Vice-President of Nigeria, Dr. Alex Ekwueme said the party which was in control in the state before former Governor Peter Obi, unseat it when he defeated former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo in 2010 governorship election, said the party was confident of regaining power in the election.
Ekwueme whose daughter, Chidi Onyemalukwe is the running mate to Obaze, said that Obi’s victory then was due to gross indiscipline in the party, noting that since Obi has joined the party in the struggle to reclaim its mandate, he was confident that the party will win on November 18 because they have credible and qualified candidates.

In his speech, the National chairman of the party, Alhaji Ahmed Markafi, told the people of the state that their destiny was in their hands, saying that with what has been said at the rally, they cannot miss the opportunity to install a PDP governor come November 18.

He said “I am confident that we will connect with the electorates to vote out APGA. Don’t give up in uniting the party both in Anambra State and Nigeria in general. PDP is a Nigerian party. If we must return to the leadership of the country, Anambra must join the bandwagon. PDP government in the state and federal level will create employment opportunity for the youth.”

Markafi said he has seen the manifestoes of Chief Obaze and stated that it was comprehensive enough to take care of every segment of the state, even as he urged the members of the party in the state to close ranks.
However, PDP governors, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, former President of the country who had been said would grace the occasion were conspicuously absent.

Sources said it was not unconnected with the crisis said to still be rocking the party as another faction held their rally in Awka yesterday.