The Enugu State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party is wooing the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the state in the 2023 general elections, Chief Chijioke Edeoga, to come back to the party.
PDP delegation led by the chairman, Dr Martin Chukwunwike; Deputy Chairman, Stephen Oruruo; Secretary, Chukwudi Nnadozie; Publicity Secretary, Chief Uche Obute and other top party officials visited Edeoga’s house at Golf Estate on Friday.
It was gathered that the visit was sanctioned and approved by Governor Peter Mbah to.
According to Chukwunwike, the PDP aims to regain its dominance in the state, which was once its stronghold.
The party chairman acknowledged that Edeoga, a former PDP member, owes a significant part of his political career to the party, having been elected to the House of Representatives and served in the State Executive Council under the PDP banner.
Chukwunwike emphasised that Edeoga’s return to the PDP would be a significant boost to the party’s fortunes in the state, given his influence and reputation in the state’s politics.
Speaking shortly after a close door meeting that lasted about an hour, Chukwunwike said, “We want to make the PDP formidable in Enugu State. The PDP used to be the only party in Enugu State but in the last election, something happened and things didn’t go the way it used to go. So, when I came on board, I discussed with the governor, Dr Peter Mbah, that we must do everything possible to get all our people back on track.
“We must do everything possible to see that Enugu State becomes 100 per cent PDP once again the way it used to be. And we took the decision to consult with some of our very key people who have been in the PDP all along. And number one on the list is the person we are in his residence now, Chijioke Edeoga.
“Chijioke Edeoga has gone to the House of Representatives under the PDP, as when we discussed he told me that he owes a lot to the PDP. He has become a lot because of PDP. He has been in the State Exco of Enugu State under the PDP and a lot of other things. So it was painful for me to come and be acting as PDP chairman without him being in the PDP. So, the governor approved that I should go and talk to him and beg him to come back to the PDP because we know that he is also a force to reckon with in the Enugu State politics.”
Responding, Edeoga said, “You heard the chairman that he wants me to come back to the PDP and I told them that I would consult. I will consult widely because I am a product of several men of goodwill. Men and women of goodwill. I will have to take back the message of the chairman and his team.
“I have enormous respect for the team and the chairman. It is not even the nature of Igbo people to hear such a thing and respond immediately. He will say let me take this home. I am going to take it home and as early as possible get back to the Chairman and my position will be known.”
