Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s reelection bid has received a huge boost as delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party in Enugu State on Sunday overwhelmingly elected him as the party’s candidate for the 2019 governorship election.
At the party’s governorship primary held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, amid a convivial atmosphere, the governor who was the sole aspirant received 2782 votes out of the 2859 total votes cast by the delegates.
The exercise which was supervised by a five-man electoral committee from the PDP headquarters in Abuja was preceded by accreditation of delegates from the 17 local government areas of Enugu State held at Okpara Square.
Chairman of the electoral committee, Senator Ambuno Zik, who formally declared the primary open said that although Gov. Ugwuanyi was sole aspirant there would still be actual voting because “we have to follow the due process”.
Introducing the governor at the event before voting commenced, the deputy president of the Senate and a delegate in the primary election, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, said the fact it was the first time “we are having a sole candidate for a governorship and the first time we are having a non-contentious primary in Enugu” are both testaments to the former’s impressive scorecard in the last three years.
“So we are only here for mere formality to affirm his candidacy,” said Senator Ekweremadu, who also described Gov. Ugwuanyi “as one of the best legislator that has ever represented the state”.
Senator Zik had, while declaring Gov. Ugwuanyi winner of the primary election, noted that the exercise met all the electoral guidelines specified by the PDP. He also praised the governor for the widespread support he enjoys in the state which, he said, reflects in his sole candidacy. “I never knew he was an achiever until I came to Enugu. They say action speaks louder than words and I have seen that his actions are speaking for him,” he added.
Gov. Ugwuanyi thanked the delegates for giving him the mandate, noting that “with God on our side victory will be ours in Jesus’ name”.
