EXCLUSIVE: Enugu Guber Poll: Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi Emerges Chime’s Successor

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News From The State Saturday, September 27th, 2014

From Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

As the 2015 general election clock ticks, there are strong indications that Hon. Ifeanyi Uwuanyi, representing Igboeze North/ Udenu Enugu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives may emerge the consensus governorship candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in Enugu state.

AFRICAN EXAMINER reliably gathered that the soft spoken Federal lawmaker who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Maritime was picked during, a marathon meeting held late last night between Governor Sullivan Chime and all the PDP gubernatorial hopefuls in the state.

A PDP stalwart who attended the meeting convened by Chime at the Governor’s Lodge, Enugu and craved anonymity told our Correspondent that Ugwuanyi, was selected from the long list of aspirants from Enugu North Senatorial district (Nsukka) where the PDP has zoned its governorship ticket.

The choice of Ugwuanyi, who hails from Orba, in Udenu council Area of the state according to the source is because of his general acceptability to all the aspirants present at the meeting.

They were said to have agreed with the governor on his choice on the federal legislator as the PDP gubernatorial flag-bearer in the coming election.

“The chances of all the contestants under the PDP from Chime’s political camp were reviewed at the meeting but it turned out that Hon. Ugwuanyi stands a better chance because he will enjoy tremendous support of the people both in Enugu North and the other two zones, west and East”

“Again, looking at all the aspirants and their antecedents, Ugwuanyi is one candidate that will give the PDP an easy ride to victory even though there is no strong opposition in Enugu State.

“So, the decision to back him is a wise one and a good development for the PDP,”.

Before yesterday,s decision, some of the PDP members from Enugu North Senatorial district with gubernatorial ambition include, two-term Senator and Chairman, Senate Committee on Works, Ayogu Eze; Ambassador Fidel Ayogu; the favoured Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi,Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Eugene Odoh; two-time Commissioner for Information, Chuks Ugwuoke; Commissioner for Enugu Capital Territory, Ikechukwu Ugwuegede, Managing Director of Enugu State Housing Authority, Ikeje Asogwa.

Others were former Commissioner for Education, Professor Simon Ortuanya, colourless PDP State Chairman, Engr. Vita Abba, amongst others.

However, the campaign posters of Chinedu Onuh, a one time commissioner during ex- Governor Chimaroke Nnamani’s administration, believed to be the Deputy senate president, Chief Ike Ekweremadu’s candidate has flooded the entire state.

With the latest development, issue relating to Governor Chime’s successor is almost a foreclosed issue, all things being equal.