From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
Former State Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Enugu State, Chief Dons Udeh has declared his intention to contest the governorship seat of the state with the ticket of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Udeh who recently joined APGA at his Obeagwu Ozalla ward in Nkanu West local government after a career with the PDP where he held many positions including State Treasurer and member, Enugu State House of Assembly, said he did not dump PDP but had joined APGA to help build a regional party that would give Ndigbo a bargaining power in Nigeria.
While in PDP, Udeh also served as Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Supervising Commissioner, Ministry of Environment and Solid Minerals, Federal Commissioner of Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) among others.
Addressing members of the State Executive of APGA when he paid them a visit at the party secretariat, GRA, Enugu, to intimate them of his ambition to run for forthcoming governorship election on the party’s ticket, Udeh said with his joining of the party, APGA would be the party to beat in 2023 election in the state.
He told newsmen later that, “I didn’t dump PDP, I want to build a regional party whereby we can have a place to have bargain with the centre. You need to build our own home as charity begins at home, South East is our home. We are talking of regional government that is what we are contesting now in Nigeria. We are talking of making the states strong and having the regions strong because when all the regions are strong the centre will become strong. But for one person being in Abuja and administering the whole Nigeria and think he is God is wrong, he is not a spirit, Nigeria is too vast for.
“We must have a government nearer the people so that we can harness all the natural resources God has blessed each region with, for the benefit of our people. This will help us reduce tension, reduce acrimony and insecurity. So we are interested in being in APGA, I wish the whole South East states will be APGA like during the Nnamdi Azikiwe’s NCNC period so that we can build our place and have a bargaining power.
“APGA is a mass movement, I have been on ground, I was part of those who build PDP, so we will build APGA, we know the game, we are not here to learn but to work.”
He said he wanted to be governor to elevate Enugu state to a level and status comparable with other capital cities of the world, being the capital of Eastern Region.
This he said he would do by giving priority to educational sector so as to occupy a prime position in the administrative agenda.