…Nsukka zone will feel our development mileage – Mbah
There was a wide jubilation among the people of Enugu North Senatorial District, otherwise known as Nsukka Zone, as they thronged the Nsukka Township Stadium to endorse and reaffirm their faith and confidence in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who is also the senatorial candidate of the zone, Dr. Peter Mbah, PDP governorship flagbearer, and other candidates from the zone.
The endorsement mega rally tagged, “Maka Udo Na Oga-N’iru Nsukka N’ime Enugu State” attracted thousands of Nsukka people, party supporters and critical stakeholders which had the new Nsukka township stadium filled to capacity also had the presence of all the traditional rulers from the area in attendance.
Various speakers at the event said they were comfortable and at home with the PDP because of the peace and security, massive infrastructure, robust healthcare system and other good governance the party had attracted to the state, especially the Nsukka Zone.
They further reiterated their earlier resolve to support and queue behind all the candidates of the party in the forthcoming general elections, saying the presence of the mammoth crowd at the endorsement rally was a confirmation that the people of Nsukka had already taken ownership of the project.
In his opening remark, the chairman of the planning committee and former deputy governor in the state, Dr. Okechukwu Itanyi, commended the people for coming out en masse to express their love and solidarity for the ruling party even as he noted that the results of the elections had already been decided with the turnout of the people.
While challenging those alleging that the governor had done nothing for the zone, the chairman pointed at the new township stadium, the recently established State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS) at Igbo-Eno, the Opi-Nsukka Ring road, newly constructed roads at Uzo Uwani axis, and a number of world-class hospitals littered across the zone as some of the legacy projects of the Ugwuanyi’s administration.
Speaking on behalf of the House of Assembly candidates in the zone, Hon. Ezenta Ezeani explained that the purpose of the gathering by the breathtaking crowd was to make a strong statement in support of the PDP in response to the dividends of democracy they’d been enjoying under Governor Ugwuanyi.
He lauded the governor for giving the zone its first university teaching hospital and other life-changing projects that have been serving as catalyst for development and economic growth among the people, adding that Nsukka zone would reciprocate the uncommon gesture through their votes at the polls.
On their parts, the members representing Igbo-Etiti/Uzo Uwani Federal Constituency, Nsukka/Igboeze South Federal Constituency, Udenu Local Government Area Chairman, a serving House of Assembly member in the zone, Dr. Martins Oke, Dr. Pat Asadu, Hon. Onah Izuchukwu and Hon. Chinedu Nwamba, respectively, insisted that the zone would make a bold statement for the PDP victory through their massive votes.
According to them, Dr. Mbah and his running mate, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai were the best candidates who would transform the state and create an enabling environment for economic rebirth.
An elder statesman in the zone, Chief Maximus Ukuta, and the representative of the council of traditional rulers, Igwe RSN Eze, assured the party that all eligible voters in the 6 council areas would deliver their votes for them even as they dismissed the presence of opposition parties in the zone.
Appreciating the people for their support and faith over the past years, Barr. Ossai expressed satisfaction at the reception given to them, stressing that what happened was a sign of victory for the PDP.
Barr. Ossai further promised that their administration would continue from where the governor would stop even as he assured of better welfare, empowerment programmes and continuous landmark infrastructure in the area.
He urged the people to continue to ignore the antics of the opposition parties who had nothing to offer them. According to him, the only way the opposition members would be cured of their envy which he likened to an HIV was by voting for the PDP on election day.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mbah has promised that the Nsukka zone would be one of the first zones to feel the developmental mileages of his administration when elected.
The governorship hopeful who extolled the teeming crowd for embracing the candidates of the party, said he would not disappoint them when he assumes office.
He saluted the governor for his uncommon leadership trajectory and sacrifices which had ensured harmony and peaceful co-existence in the state, especially among the senatorial zones.
Expressing confidence that the elections were a done deal for the ruling party, Dr. Mbah urged the people to troop out en masse and vote for them in the February 25 and March 11 elections.
Also lending his voice, Governor Ugwuanyi maintained that the people had shown that his government had delivered massive good governance through their huge population at the rally.
Emphasizing that what happened at the event was a non partisan commitment and embrace of the quality of candidates produced by the PDP to represent the state in the next administration, he called on the people to keep faith with the party by voting wisely for all its candidates, even as he urged them to eschew violence and conduct themselves on the election day.