Fides Media Living the Faith
With a view to wrestling power from the incumbent All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in Anambra State, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, last Sunday inaugurated members of the November 6, 2021 Campaign Council, Advisory Council, Elders Forum, and Campaign Committee, which will serve as the PDP Gubernatorial Campaign Organisation in the state, reports Jude Atupulazi.
Senator Uche Ekwunife announced the campaign structures at a press briefing held at Senator Ekwunife Events Centre in Awka. Members included top shots like former Governor Peter Obi; Senator Uche Ekwunife, who was named the Chairperson of the Campaign Council; Senator Stella Oduah, a former aviation minister who represents Anambra North, and serving federal lawmakers. Some of those who contested in the party primary against Mr Val Ozigbo who won the election, were also included in the Campaign Council, with one of them, Dr Ifedi Okwenna, physically present.
Joining Ekwunife in the leadership of the Campaign Council are Senator Oduah who will serve as the Co-Chair; Dr Winston Udeh, a lawyer and former governorship aspirant, who will be serving as the Vice-Chairman; as well as Dr Alex Obiogbolu, who will serve as the Director-General of the PDP Gubernatorial Campaign Organisation.
Other notable appointments into the PDP State Campaign Council are Hon Tim Egboka, a former member of the Anambra State House of Assembly, who will serve as the Deputy Director-General for the campaign; Chief Tony Offiah, a prominent PDP stalwart who will serve as Director of Financial Services; Chief Ugochukwu Okeke, who will serve as Secretary to the State Campaign Council; and Hon George Ozodinobi, a former federal lawmaker, who will serve as the Secretary to the Chairman of the Campaign Council.
Zonal Directors of the campaign are Hon Chris Azubogu (South); Hon Gabriel Onyenwife (North), and Dr A. A. Anagu (Central).
In his remarks, Ozigbo expressed gratitude and delight at the cooperation the political leaders had given and said that history was being made as the PDP in Anambra had not been as united and strong, heading into an election.
Senator Ekwunife, in her comments, said the November 6 election was the PDP’s to take and assured of her total commitment to leading the PDP team to victory at the poll. Her emergence as the Chairperson emanated from a high-powered reconciliation effort by the PDP Governors’ Forum.
In his remarks, Dr Obiogbolu, the campaign’s Director-General, said there was abundance of hope and opportunities for the story of Anambra to change for good if the people embraced the PDP, saying that the Campaign Organisation represented the best collection of talents and experience in the state’s politics.
Other heavyweights appointed as Directors in the PDP State Governorship Campaign Organisation are the first female state speaker in Nigeria and a former federal lawmaker, Rt. Hon. Eucharia Azodo; (religious groups); a former guber aspirant, Barrister Emeka Etiaba (Legal); the PDP’s 2017 Deputy Governorship candidate, Mrs Chidi Onyemelukwu (Women Mobilisation); Mr Obinna Ufudo, a former President and Group CEO of Transcorp Plc (Finance); Chief Don Onochie (Contacts and Mobilisation); a former state and federal lawmaker, Hon Barr. Valentine Ayika (Strategy and Planning); a media guru and communications expert, Ms Aziza Uko (Media and Communications); a former PDP state chairman, Mr Ejike Oguebego (Intra and Intra Party Affairs); and Dr (Mrs) Rose Nwankwo (Support Groups).
Others are a former gubernatorial aspirant, Barrister Joe Martins Uzodike (Publicity); Chief Chudi Akude (Research, Statistics, and Training); Ogom Izukanne (Youth Mobilisation); Fab Ozoigbo (Campaign Operations); Benji Uba (Transport); Chikaodili Obiefuna (Welfare); Chinelo Ofoche (Protocol); and Hon. Chuba Oranusi (Non-Indigenous Groups).
At a PDP town hall meeting in late July, Valentine Ozigbo had announced Mrs Azuka Enemo, a respected administrator and a two-time Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, as his running mate.
Her appointment had been hailed from several prominent quarters, including a group of over 100 PDP Elders in a communiqué published on August 10, 2021.
Ozigbo was formerly the President and Group Chief Executive Officer of Transcorp.