The Enugu State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the Labour Party, LP, governorship candidate in the 2023 general election, Chijioke Edeoga, have reopened talks that could pave way for the return of the erstwhile party member to the PDP fold.
Addressing reporters at a joint press briefing after a closed-door meeting with Edeoga at his residence, the Chairman of the Enugu State Chapter of the PDP, Dr. Martins Chukwunweike, told newsmen that the meeting was in line with his agenda to unite the party and bring back all former party members.
“PDP used to be the only party in Enugu State. But in the last election, something happened that 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 in the fold. We must do everything possible to see that Enugu State becomes 100 per cent PDP the way it used to be. And we took the decision to consult with some of our very key people, who have been PDP all along.
“Chijioke Edeoga is one of them. When we discussed, he told me in plain language that he owes a lot to PDP and he had become a lot through the PDP. He has been in the State Executive Council of Enugu State under PDP and a lot more.
“We have had a lot of discussions before now and today I came to his house with the members of my executives – the Deputy Chairman, Secretary, and Publicity Secretary, and he is okay and satisfied with our visit. I believe, from what he told us, that we are going to have him back to the party.
“The only thing is that being somebody, who is not standing alone, who has people who are his team members, it is only right that he should also consult before coming to give us the expected verdict so that we will all go into the next election united as one family that we have always been. We know and we are confident that PDP under Dr. Peter Mbah will eventually become what it used to be as the only party in Enugu State.
“Importantly, he has asked us to tell the governor that he has seen all his good works; that even the blind man can see the good roads. So, our visit has been very successful and when next we will call you , it will be for him to tell you what I call the expected response,” he said.
Speaking also, Edeoga concurred with all that Dr. Chukwunweike had said, noting that he would consult his supporters in addition to the discussions with the PDP chieftains.
“Yes, the leadership of PDP in Enugu State came to see me, demanding I should come back to the PDP and I told them I will consult widely because I am a product of several men and women of goodwill. I have enormous respect for the team and the Chairman, but it is not in the nature of Igbo people to hear such a weighty thing and respond immediately. I am going to take it home and I will as early as possible get back to the Chairman and my position will be known. But it has been a wonderful meeting of brothers and former allies,” he added.
Edeoga, a former PDP Member of the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2003, had also served as Special Adviser (Legal) to former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, in the 6th Senate as well as Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters to former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
He was a two-term Commissioner in the Administration of former Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi between 2015 and 2022 all on the platform of the PDP before he pulled out of the party after the governorship primary to run on the platform of LP.
Confidence Okwuchi
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