THE number of political parties in the governorship race in Enugu State, notwithstanding, Tuesdays contest is expected to be between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the People for Democratic Change (PDC) and Labour Party (LP).Those vying for the number one seat include Governor Sullivan Chime (PDP), Dr Dan Shere (PDC) and Chief Okey Ezea (LP).There are other candidates of other political parties, including Mr. Val Nnaedozie Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Obinna Obiegue (APGA), Chief Osita Okechukwu (CPC) and Anya Ibekwe (NTP).On Wednesday, Roosevelt Nnamdi Anigbo of the Change Advocacy Party (CAP), stepped down for the PDP candidate and incumbent Governor, Chime. He had said that he took the decision based on his discovery that in near four years, Chime had demonstrated what good governance means, stressing that what the governor had already achieved should earn him more support and encouragement from other politicians in the state.But Chime has become the issue in the governorship election of the state. After about four years, his position is seriously sort after, not only by his close opponents from other parties, but even in his PDP.On Thursday, the Federal High Court, Abuja sat till late in the night, attempting to adjudicate a suit brought by chief Alex Obiechina, challenging the legality of his emergence in the primaries conducted by the party. The matter is adjourned for next Thursday.There is another suit now before the Court of Appeal filed by another claimant of the PDP ticket, Chief Anayo Onwuegbu.Aside this, the battle for the soul of Enugu is one that will pit the governor against Shere, a former Secretary to State government and Ezea, a lawyer/business magnate, who has for sometime now been reckoned as one of the strongest opposition voices in the state.Going by the impact the governor has made in the near four years, especially in the area of infrastructural development, it could be reckoned as mere waste of resources and time for any body to challenge him.Again, Chime has in his arsenal, the incumbency factor, controlling the machinery of government. His party, the PDP holds sway in the state, controlling all the seventeen local government council areas.Added factors were the recently concluded elections of which the PDP secured all the seats available in the National Assembly, while at the same time winning the presidential election for the party.Although his zone, Enugu West parades the largest number of governorship candidates in other parties, this is seen as not a strong factor considering the strength of these candidates and their performances in previous elections.For instance, while Chime hails from Udi, the trio of ACNs Nnaedozie, APGAs Obiegue and NTPs Ibekwe, all hail from Oji River. The next is CPC s Okechukwu, who hail from Eke also in Udi.On paper, the division of votes among these parties and candidates could affect the victory of Chime, but that is if he did not do his homework well because, his party enjoys large support and followership in the mentioned areas.This rating will also be boosted by the House of Assembly candidates of the PDP, now aspiring to come back, and the fact that the area may not want to risk voting another candidate they are not sure could win votes from other zones.Perhaps, one major factor he would contend seriously with in the area is the deputy governorship candidate of the PDC, Kanayo Oguakwa. Oguakwa is the incumbent House of Reps member for Oji River/Awgu/Aninri federal constituency. He would definitely ensure that the governor would not have his way in the area, going by the failed relationship they have enjoyed since 2007; he worked as returning officer in the election that produced Chime.For Enugu East, although the area may not be said to be enjoying the best of relationship with the governor, he has however in recent times established relationship by the award of some contracts, including repairs of the collapsed portion of the Nyama bridge. His greatest inroad was the National Assembly election, where his party according to INEC defeated the former governor, Dr Chimaroke Nnamani for Enugu East senatorial zone, thus halting his ambition of returning to the Senate.Chime, who picked his Deputy, Sunday Onyebuchi from the zone, will rely on the feat to snatch victory from the area. It is being calculated that should he win convincingly in the two zones, whatever becomes of the Enugu North where the two other top contenders hail from might not affect him much.But Shere is expected to take advantage of the rising profile of his party, PDC to overcome whatever obstacle that might come his way. At the conclusion of the last two elections, his party, which is barely six months old on the saddle had trailed behind the ruling PDP. In fact, supporters of the party have challenged the PDP to a free and fair election of one man, one vote, expressing that but for alleged multiple thumb printing embarked upon since the elections started by the PDP in Enugu, there is no way PDP should be leading in the elections.On paper, PDC has been able to make strong presence in Enugu State. Shere is from Nsukka (Enugu North) based on the calculation that the area has largest population in the state. Presently, it has seven local governments out of Enugus seventeen. The area has always lamented that it was being marginalised in the scheme of things in the state and wanted a taste of power at the centre.Pundits had looked forward to a working agreement between Ezea and Shere, so as to provide a common front against Chime and PDP. Although it is being speculated that such alliance could materialize before the election, many say that it would not stop Chime from getting numerous votes in the area, going by the alleged matching order on the council chairmen and councilors to deliver their local governments and wards for the PDP.One other factor that might still play to his advantage is the disputed endorsement, which the traditional rulers and leaders of thought in the zone gave him, following the agreement which they allegedly reached that he (Chime) would help ensure that power was given to the area in 2015.Many described the agreement as dummy basically aimed at getting the support of the zone, as according to them, it is not realistic. Proponents of government are cashing in on it to discourage people from voting for the candidates from the area.
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