From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
One of the few surviving nationalists and First Republic Minister of Aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi yesterday endorsed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Mr. Oseloka Obaze for victory in the November 18 Anambra State governorship election.
Amaechi who spoke in his country home, Ukpor when the PDP train visited him, gave Obaze and the deputy governorship candidate, Lady Chidi Onyemelukwe (nee Ekwueme) a traditional staff of authority (Offor) praying that they would overcome.
He said, “This staff is for you as a symbol of my utmost support and assurance that you will be the next governor of Anambra State come March 17, 2018.
“‘I’m 89 and will be celebrating my 90th Birthday on June 16. I want you to celebrate it with me as governor. ‘You’re a good man. Your relationship with elders like me while you served under Peter Obi as SSG is enough proof that you have all ingredients of good leadership.
“‘Besides, there’s no other candidate in this election that matches you in pedigree and the required ingredients to be a governor of a state like Anambra.”
Expressing optimism that the PDP would win the governorship election, the 89-year-old member of the defunct Zikist Movement stated that though it was pretty difficult and tough to challenge an incumbent and a federal government candidate, Willie Obiano and Tony Nwoye respectively in an election of such magnitude, he was not in any way wavering in his support for the party.
Amaechi stressed that it was high time Anambra State reconnected to national political grid, noting that there were only two parties in Nigeria (APC, PDP) that had national outlook.
Stressing that Anambra had been an outsider of the two parties for too long, Amaechi said, “Even though Peter Obi managed that handicap that our state didn’t actually feel left out of the main thrust of events, what we have now as government is truly leaving us far behind.”