By Ori Martins
The nostalgic memories of the symbolic and historic Great Ahiara Declaration were sensationally brought to bear at Ahiara Technical College as the Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, flagged off its 2023 campaign.
Colorful and massively attended, the rally which was jointly supervised by the Alhaji Atiku Abubakar/ Ifeanyi Okowa Presidential Campaign Council and State Working Committee, attracted good turnout from leaders, elders, candidates and members of the party across the state, particularly Ahiazu, Ezinihitte and Aboh Mbaise LGAs.
Welcoming the thousands of cheering party faithful, the secretary of PDP in Imo, Nze Ray Emeana, pointedly made it clear that the central theme and main issue of the day was how to guarantee the victory of umbrella party’s candidate in the February 25, 2023 presidential election.
“Our mission and goal as well as the central theme why we gathered here is very simple. We have kick-started the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign for the 2023 elections. We all must vote for Atiku for president and we expect you to take the message to your wards and chapters.
“Equally, we are here to market and present our Imo East otherwise known as Owerri zone senatorial candidate for the February 25 National Assembly elections, Hon Uche Onyeagucha, to the people of Ahiazu Mbaise local government council. Onyeagucha has worked so hard that Ahiazu in particular and Owerri zone in general must return him to the senate”, Emeana noted.
He added, “The same way we vote Atiku and Onyeagucha, is also the same manner we must ensure the victory of our House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates Hon Emeka Chinedu Martins and Comrade Rex Okoro in that order.
“Chinedu is for Ahiazu, Ezinihitte Federal Constituency while Okoro is billed for Ahiazu Mbaise State Constituency. We must deliver these powerful line up of men of timbre and calibre”.
In his address, the apex leader of PDP in Ahiazu Mbaise LGA, Chief PGU Madu, thanked Ahiazu people for thronging out in their numbers to welcome the party’s leaders and elders. He promised that Ahiazu will massively vote for PDP in the 2023 general elections.
The erstwhile chairman of Imo State PDP who also doubles as the deputy director general of the Atiku / Okowa Presidential Campaign Council, Barrister Charles Babatunde Ezekwem gave a graphic and detailed analysis on why Ahiazu and indeed the entire Mbaise people must fight for the election of Onyeagucha who he said played significant role in the election of Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha in 2019.
In a most remarkable presentation, former minister and a member of the PCC, Chief Chuka Odom, urged Ahiazu electorate to work assiduously for the success of Atiku on February 25, 2023, insisting that the PDP presidential candidate’s victory would surely and effectively pave way for the re – emergence of Ihedioha in November 2023.
The state woman leader of the party Mrs Maria Mbakwe beckoned on the women to once more vote for PDP and its candidates in the forthcoming elections.
While thanking the party members and faithful for their continued support, Ihedioha observed that the victory of PDP in the February and March and elections would prove that the success of the party in 2019 in the state was not a fluke.
The climax of the event was the presentation of flags to PDP candidates namely Onyeagucha, Chinedu and Okoro.
Engineer Columbus Akolonu while giving vote of thanks remarked that Ahiazu Mbaise LGA is PDP all through.
Other PDP chiefs at the event were the former deputy governor, Hon Gerald Irona, House of Representatives member, representing Orsu, Orlu and Oru East, Hon Jerry Alagboso, Okigwe zone senatorial candidate, Emma Okewulonu among others.
