By David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
An aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State, Dr Obiora Okonkwo, has urged his fellow contestants to be united, and work in oneness to ensure the party takes over the state.
Okonkwo, who addressed stakeholders of the party in Awka, the state capital, yesterday, reminded all the aspirants in the party that their contest was not against one another, but against candidates of other political parties.
According to him, “The battle ahead of us is not just one of winning the party’s ticket to become the standard bearer in the November governorship election, it goes beyond that, and that is why we must find a better understanding, and create a unifying front to face the challenges ahead.
“This is imperative because our great party, the PDP, which is obviously the darling party of the generality of the Anambra people, has been out of power in the state for close to 16 years and at the centre for more than five years now.
“These realities place us at a very precarious situation. What it entails is that we must work like soldier ants to defeat the leviathan that stands before us as a hurdle. When soldier ants attack, they attack in group. That way, they defeat the biggest of flies. In isolation, soldier ants cannot anything.”
The businessman turned politician reminded his fellow aspirants that the ruling party in the state, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are also interested in winning in Anambra State, and that only unity among the aspirants will ensure that PDP takes the state.
“We are confronted with the reality that we are squaring up against the ruling party in the state, APGA. We are also facing the ruling party at the centre, APC. Both are in control of state and federal powers. Let us make no mistakes, these powers can and may be deployed against the PDP in the next election, especially if we create such opportunity by leaving our flanks open.
“We must therefore work in unison to sustain the prevailing unity and peace in the Anambra State chapter of our great party. It is also very critical that we elect a standard bearer that has the capacity to win.
“He or she must be a standard bearer that attracts massive support from the people of our dear state across all zones. For me, that should be our most potent weapon against the two prevailing powers that we confront.
“If we get our priorities right, elect a formidable and generally acceptable candidate, eschew factionalisation tendencies, uphold internal democracy and remain a united front, no force in the country will be able to pull us down. We shall prevail and offer the people of our dear state a new sense of leadership and direction. If we get our acts right, then we shall be in a pole position to end 2021 as the ruling party-elect for Anambra State,” he said.
