The Fate of the Opposition as PDP Perfects Winning Streak – Politics – –

On November 19 of this year, the Enugu State Independent National Electoral Commission (ENSIEC), administered by Dr. Mike Ajogwu, a lawyer, set the local government council election in the state for February 23, 2022 for the 17 areas of the state’s local government council.

The Commission notified that the term of office of the elected council presidents, among others, would end in that month. Should the elections be held, it would become the third attempt by the Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi-led administration to maintain democracy at the third tier by holding elections.

Ugwuanyi held the first council election on November 4, 2017, two years after taking over the leadership of the state. While the election was to be held in 2015, he reasoned that it could not be held due to funding shortages, as well as to allow an audit committee instituted by him in the 17 local government councils to determine the workforce and their spending profile.

When the elections were held later, his party, the Popular Democratic Party (PDP), won all the seats. The feat was repeated in 2019 and the process produced all of the party’s outgoing council presidents.

As the state awaits another council election in February next year, it remains to be seen whether any political party would oppose the chances of the ruling PDP’s candidates or prevent the party from retaining control of the councils. This is because opposition political parties in Enugu have continued to exist in name only.

The Congress of All Progressives (APC), which should have been a challenge, is mired in a deep crisis that has divided it into segments. Although it claimed to have improved acceptability after the more than 180,000 members claiming to have recently registered with the state, the leadership crisis among foundation members and new entrants, including those who have not yet registered with the party, are seriously dwarfing the party’s progress in the state. .

Therefore, the discussion about the February council election is only heard around the PDP. The development is making the party thicker and at the same time disturbing the members due to the various interests and forces at play. Who gets what seat in the council election is upping the ante on the PDP in the state.

It emerged that to contain the growing interests, the party is looking at existing zoning agreements in councils, performance, past agreements, acceptability, as well as the fact that those who benefited from the three-month interim arrangement prior to your choice should not be considered. These have not deterred job seekers in the council’s 17 areas.

Investigations by Newslodge revealed a dispute between various stakeholders, especially king-makers at the council level, who want to make sure they are involved in the production of those who would fill the position. Winning the PDP nomination is only as good as holding any reputable elective office in the state of Enugu and the council election is not removed from it.

While some serving presidents and other elected council officials want to keep their positions for another two years, others who have contributed in one way or another to support the Ugwuanyi government want him to use the position and compensate them. This school of thought, it was further learned, argued that they were critical to their re-election or that they were promised that they would be rewarded with the position.

On the other hand, there are arguments that the election would be the last to be held by the governor and, as such, should serve to strengthen his political structure and future. Therefore, he is expected to present only those who are loyal to him, so that outside of his position they can still speak for him.

Ugwuanyi’s body language does not suggest that he would not seek another political office after 2023. In fact, unconfirmed sources insist that he has his eyes on the presidency should the party cede the seat to the Southeast region or the seat of the National Assembly for North Enugu. . He is believed, of late, to have worked hard to restore normalcy to the PDP and as such should be compensated for the efforts.

While that argument is being analyzed, other sources insist that it should not be lost in him that he must present his successor as his predecessors and would need the support of council chairs with strong character to do so, especially with the discordant voices raging in the government. . state governorate zoning agreement.

The Enugu PDP began an unwritten zoning of the governor’s seat in 2007 when then-Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, who hails from East Enugu, introduced Sullivan Chime from the Enugu West Senate as his successor. To promote the agreement, Chime had also moved power in the center north to Enugu, which he sent the incumbent governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

There are several schools of thought that since all three zones had enjoyed the position, it should go back to where it started in 1999: Enugu East. There are other arguments that since it has circled and is not written, it should be opened wide so that the next round of rotation begins with the zone that would produce the replacement of Ugwuanyi in 2023.

However, another group of pollsters believe that since Enugu north was the last to benefit from the power rotation, it should be allowed to start the next cycle as it would ensure fairness and justice. Others are of the opinion, however, that zoning should be abolished in state policy, emphasizing that the last 24 years in which the office has rotated through the three senatorial zones have helped the state politically. They said the cause of development had not advanced in the state.

HOWEVER, apparently in an attempt to checkmate the PDP in its game plan for 2023, the crisis that struck APC in April this year ceded his post of governor to East Enugu. The party insisted it would produce its first major victory in the state using the 2023 general election. APC had zoned the governor’s post in previous elections north of Enugu.

A faction of the party has also insisted that it will participate in the February 2022 council elections and has warned the PDP to avoid anything that could derail the process. The faction, led by Ugochukwu Agballa, said the elections would not be as usual in the state.

While contemplating how APC will process the elections with its entrenched crisis, within the PDP in southern Enugu last week, however, some stalwarts in what was seen as the color of things to come in the party had made an open letter to the governor. . , where they accused the president of the party in the council of arrogance in the operation of his administration.

They asked the governor in the letter signed by Tony Nnaji and Okwudili Ugwu to warn the president for lasting peace and unity in the council, claiming that his leadership style had driven out some party members on the council.

“This is important for the party in the Enugu South local government area to be formidable before the 2023 elections. Teach the party president the need to respect the elders and stop acting like a demigod,” they had written.

However, those behind the party chairman insist that the letter arose out of a “mischief” to create discord in the party, in order to pave the way for the appointment of new leaders in the area for the purpose of the election of the party. tip.

These are events that may have created concerns for the governor. This is because Ugwuanyi has facilitated peace in the party and in the state in general. He would not be willing to allow anything that could amputate the existing peace and winning streak that the PDP has enjoyed since its inception in 1999 in the state.
When the governor took office in 2015, he inherited a local government that was all PDP. Experts believe that the development had a major impact on the party’s victory in the elections held that year. They claimed that he facilitated the campaigns and the establishment of his administration.

It is this feat that he would also like to hand over to his successor when the debate over where the post of governor would go is resolved.

The sources affirmed that the governor has continued to appeal for due process to be followed in the nomination of new hands in the councils or who would continue in office to sustain the prevailing peace in the party and the state in general.

“I don’t think he wants to get involved. It is strictly a matter for stakeholders and party members in the various councils. But in doing that, we must not lose sight of the fact that many of them did not fare well during the two years they served. There are many without any project to their name. This is the time to show the performance scorecard, ‘said the source.

However, as things stand, what would not be taken away from the governor is the fact that he would want to leave behind a stronger and better PDP and the outcome of the council election could improve that outlook.