Why PDP governorship aspirants in Enugu signed MoU

Governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections in Enugu State, yesterday, said they decided to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to make the contest less acrimonious as well as preserve the prevailing peace in the state.

Fifteen of the 18 governorship aspirants of the party had met, at the weekend, in Enugu, where they agreed, among other things, to accept any of them whom Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi chooses to become the candidate of the party in the May 28 governorship primary of the state.

Speaking to The Guardian on the development, yesterday, some of the aspirants, including Chijioke Edeoga, Chinyeaka Ohaa and Nwabueze Ugwu, insisted that they did so in adherence to the appeal by leaders and traditional rulers in the state to ensure that their aspirations do not create friction in the state.

Edeoga, the immediate past commissioner for environment, stated: “We did it to begin to set example that it won’t be winner takes all in the end.”

“The leaders and traditional rulers had appealed to us to find ways of making sure that we play like brothers. That was why we met and took time to talk to each other and agree on the way forward. It will no longer be litigations, thuggery or other forms of mudslinging. All we want is to have a peaceful process that will positively impact the state.”

Ohaa said they signed the MUO bearing in mind that the PDP remained one family under the leadership of Ugwuanyi, adding that the party wants to conduct a primary election that would not bring division to it.