From Petrus Obi, Enugu
Members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), from Oji River Local Government Area stormed Enugu Government House at the weekend to protest and reject a chairmanship candidate presented by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.
The placard-carrying demonstrators said they were at government house to inform the governor that all the stakeholders and leaders of the party have rejected the idea of the senator who is not from the council area selecting a chairmanship candidate for them.
Addressing newsmen Mr. Chukwujindu Obinna, who led the protest said “concerned citizens of Oji River PDP are dissociating themselves from the meeting convened by the deputy Senate President in his Enugu residence, where a certain candidate was handpicked as sole candidate of the party in the forthcoming local government elections.
“Oji-River PDP is loyal to Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and we have come to him as a father, to communicate to him our decision to reject imposition of any candidate without the consent of the governor and stakeholders of Oji River.”
The delegation frowned at the meeting and the style through which the candidate was selected and insisted that Oji River be allowed to choose their leader; and not an external body.
“We are, therefore, standing by what the governor told us during a stakeholders meeting with him, where he assured that there will be no imposition.
“We have rejected this selection, until we see the governor, to confirm from him otherwise, we will go for primary election.
“Thus, we decided to stage this peaceful protest to alert our governor of the development and the feeling of his people.
“He is a good governor and we will always abide by his decisions.”
