Following his re-listing by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate in the Nov.6 governorship election in Anambra State, Mr Valentine Ozigbo has described his candidacy as divine.
Ozigbo spoke while addressing party faithful in Awka upon his return from Abuja.
Ozigbo had suffered a setback when his name was conspicuously missing from INEC’s candidates list released on July 16, because his rival, Mr Ugochukwu Uba, was also contending for same slot with him.
Ozigbo returned from Abuja where the Court of Appeal ordered INEC to list him as the PDP candidate.
Ozigbo, who along with his running mate Mrs Azuka Enemo was received by a crowd, described the Appeal Court judgment, which affirmed him as the rightful PDP candidate, as the beginning of a new era in Anambra.
“We recorded several victories and the National Assembly Caucus of the PDP came together to pledge unanimous support for this project.
“Second, the entirety of the PDP governors announced that they are solidly supporting this cause and would provide all the necessary resources to ensure that we win this election.
“Also, INEC has published our name as the PDP candidate for the election after a period of uncertainty,” Ozigbo said to the loud cheers from the crowd.
He said that the campaign could now start in earnest, noting that the priority at the moment was to mobilise and convince people to vote PDP and its candidate.
“This is a divine mandate, and with your support, we will emerge victorious in November,” Ozigbo said.
He commended his party and its leadership, including the governors for inaugurating a 179-member National Campaign Council to execute the election.
According to him, “the PDP governors are members of the council and it is our election to win, and by God’s grace, we will march to the Government House. It is time for us to show Ndi Anambra the way to go.
He said he had a first hand experience of the decay of infrastructure in Anambra, with the terrible condition of the roads.
“There’s nothing to be proud of in Anambra. Roads are bad, healthcare is non-existent, education is moribund, security is at an all-time low, add this to the state’s debt profile and you will agree that Anambra needs a total overhaul.
“If we don’t start now, we might never get it right. Our freedom must begin now. Nov. 6 is our date with history, and we are ready to march to victory,” Ozigbo said.
