As campaigns for the 2023 general election in Nigeria commenced on Wednesday, more communities and groups have continued to declare their solidarity and support for Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State to represent Enugu North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

They also endorsed the PDP and agreed to vote for all candidates of the party at the polls including the governorship candidate, Barr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah and his running mate, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai.

Prominent among the communities and groups were the people of Lejja and Uwani Lejja autonomous communities, Nkpunano Nsukka Ancient Kingdom, Obukpa Community, and members of The Face of Hope for Nsukka and Igbo-Eze South LGAs as well as Enugu North Senatorial Zone Canvassers, among others.

Speaking when the people of Lejja paid a solidarity visit to Gov. Ugwuanyi at the Government House, Enugu, Prof. Damian Opata, told the governor that they are solidly behind his senatorial bid in 2023 and that of other PDP candidates in the state.

Prof. Opata, who described Gov. Ugwuanyi as a humble and caring leader with a listening ear, said that Lejja people are thankful to the governor for paying an unscheduled visit on two occasions to their community to inspect their long neglected road (Lejja-Aku road), and immediately commenced work on the road.

Describing Gov. Ugwuanyi’s gesture as unprecedented, Prof. Opata also told the governor that “the road had been in a pitiable condition for many decades, but you came on your own and made some difference today.

“You have transformed the place, you have directed immediate commencement of work on that road and the workers are currently working on the road. We are thanking you, Your Excellency.”

The erudite professor, on behalf of the people of Lejja and Uwani Lejja communities, equally appreciated the governor for the appointment of their sons and daughters into sensitive government positions, saying: “We are thanking you immensely for our children you have employed into the service of the state; the one you appointed into the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), those you appointed into the Enugu State Post Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB) as the chairman, water corporation, finance service and numerous others.

They went further to applaud Gov. Ugwuanyi for the peace, unity and progress in Enugu State since he assumed office, especially for the remarkable feats his administration has recorded in the education and health sectors, such as the renovation and construction of classroom blocks as well as health facilities across the state, including the recent establishment of the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS), Igbo-Eno, Enugu State.

Reaffirming their support for the governor’s senatorial bid, Prof. Opata stressed: “We are saying that you will go to the Senate and there are no two ways about it. We will all vote massively for you. We will also vote massively for Barr. Peter Mbah, the PDP governorship candidate, his running mate, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, the party’s candidate for Nsukka/ Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency, Chief Vita Abba, among others.”

Also endorsing Gov. Ugwuanyi, Barr. Mbah and other PDP candidates, the people of Nkpunano Nsukka Ancient Kingdom, Nsukka Local Government Area said that they are resolute in their unanimous decision to vote for them at the polls because of the governor’s transformational landmark projects in the university town of Nsukka of which they are the major beneficiaries.

The people of Nkpunano, who came with “the representatives of our ancestors”, in what they described as a covenant among themselves, maintained that their support for Gov. Ugwuanyi is irrevocable.

They said that their area, made up of four autonomous communities of Nguru, Isiakpu, Echara and Umakashi, has the major shares of Gov. Ugwuanyi administration’s developmental projects executed in Nsukka town such as road network, educational facilities, traffic lights, healthcare infrastructure, among others.

The people added that their sons and daughters benefited immensely in the human capital development programmes of Gov. Ugwuanyi’s administration, disclosing that a lot of them were given political appointments such as Commissioner, Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) and Special Assistants (SAs), while their son, Hon. Amos Amadi Agbo, through the magnanimity and inclusive leadership style of the governor is the candidate of the PDP for Nsukka West Constituency in the forthcoming general election.

In their separate speeches, the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Hon. Barr. Peter Okonkwo, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor, Hon. Aniebonam Ezeugwu, the President General (PG) of Nguru Nsukka Town Union, Chief Ignatius Ugwu who spoke on behalf of the PGs, the Attamah Obayi, Nguru Nsukka, Thomas Ukweze, the PDP candidate for Nsukka West Constituency, Hon. Amos Amadi Agbo, and the Chairman of Nsukka LGA, Hon. Barr. Walter Ozioko, expressed deep appreciation to Gov. Ugwuanyi for his administration’s giant developmental strides in Nsukka town and its environs, in keeping with his inaugural address.

They therefore reiterated the support of the people of Nkpunano towards a landslide victory for the PDP at the polls.

In his speech, Hon. Barr. Okonkwo, said: “Your Excellency, What we are telling you is that when we get to the campaign field, we will prove to the whole Enugu State, and Nsukka senatorial zone in particular, why you are more of an Nsukka man than an Orba man. What will end the stories is the vote.

“When we vote, we vote massively. We even know how to harvest it. As a community organiser, when we step into the community, we will rewrite the narratives. What I am telling you, Your Excellency, is that we are well prepared.

“Nkpunano is the heart beat of Nsukka town. So, if we tell you that you are going to the Senate, then you are going because we know where to get the vote and we know how to harvest it. So, if you want to go to bed, sleep with your two eyes closed.”

On their part, the people of Obukpa community gave their unanimous endorsement for Gov. Ugwuanyi’s senatorial bid and that of the PDP governorship candidate, Barr. Mbah, his running mate, Barr. Ossai, and other PDP candidates, pledging to vote for the party overwhelmingly at the polls in 2023.

Speaking on behalf of the community, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Uche Eze, the Chairman, Enugu North Zonal Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Igwe R.S.N Ezeh and the Chairman of All Presidents General (PGs) of Town Unions in Enugu State, Barr. Paully Eze spoke in the same vein with the people of Nkpunano and reassured Gov. Ugwuanyi of their block votes for him and the PDP during the elections.

They lauded the governor for the good works he has done in Enugu North Senatorial District in particular and Enugu State in general such as the establishment of the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS), Igbo-Eno, Enugu, entrenchment of peace and security, the Opi-Nsukka dual carriageway and the T-junction flyover bridge at Nike Lake Road, Enugu, among others.

Among the groups that endorsed Gov. Ugwuanyi’s senatorial bid and that of other candidates of the PDP, and pledged to mobilise and galvanise the electorate to vote for the governor, Barr. Mbah, Barr. Ossai and others were, The Face of Hope, Nsukka and Igbo-Eze South LGAs led by the Director General, Hon. Steve Ezema, Udokamma Movement, Igbo-Eze North LGA and Enugu North Senatorial Zone Canvassers.

The people of Lejja and Uwani Lejja autonomous communities were led by HRH, Igwe Anthony Ochike; HRH, Igwe Brendan Asogwa; Eze Lejja, Chief Bony Nwani; Evangelist Mrs. Favour Ugwuanyi (Chairman, PPSMB); Dr. Eddy Ishiwu, Director, International Fund for Agricultural Development; Professor Damian Opata; Comrade Benneth Asogwa (Chairman, Enugu State Trade Union Congress of Nigeria); Engr. Charles Eze (Director, Enugu State Water Corporation); High Chief Emeka Omeke; Hon. Alpho Nweze (former Chairman, Nsukka LGA); and Mr. Mellitus Ezeagu (President, Lejja Town Union), among others.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Investment, Barr. Chris Ezeugwu, the Executive Secretary, Enugu State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. George Ugwu, the SSA to the Governor, Hon. Barr. Tony Okey Ugwu and the Governor’s SA, Barr. Frank Agbowo were among stakeholders of Obukpa community at the event while the Special Adviser to the Governor, Dr. Reuben Onyishi joined the people of Nkpunano on their solidarity visit to Gov. Ugwuanyi.

The PDP candidate for Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency, Engr. Vita Abba, the Chairman, Nsukka LGA, Hon. Barr. Walter Ozioko, the PDP candidates for Nsukka East and Nsukka West constituencies, Barr. Mrs. Christiana Onah and Hon. Amos Amadi Agbo respectively, were among the dignitaries that witnessed the events.