2023: Elderstatesman, Mgbada backs Ebonyi PDP guber candidate
From Chinedu Nwafor, Abakaliki
An Elderstatesman and one of the founding fathers of Ebonyi State, Chief Felix Mgbada has thrown his weight behind the governorship ambition of the People’s Democratic Party candidate in the State, Dr Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii.
The septuagenarian noted that Odii is his preferred candidate and the best man to lead Ebonyi as its next Governor after Governor David Umahi in May, 29, 2023.
Mr Mgbada, a lawyer who is a member of the PDP Board of Trustees made his position known on Friday while briefing Journalists at his country home, Umuogharu Ezza North LGA of Ebonyi State.
He said there was no gainsaying the fact that Dr Odii had built up his name, capacity and enviable antecedent which had prepared him to provide leadership for the people of Ebonyi state.
He said: “Having reasoned, considered and pondered about the current political permutations in the state and beyond, I came to the inescapable conclusion that Dr Ifeanyi Odii is a man of solid reputation. He is zealous, broad- minded, dynamic and practical. He has all it takes to face complex problems even in difficult times such as now.”
He further stated that the PDP was done with its primaries and all Court cases arising from them, and called on all the leaders, stakeholders and members of the party to rally round Dr Odii to take Ebonyi to greater heights.
“For the avoidance of doubt, as a respected Member of the PDP Board of Trustees, let me state categorically here and now that we are done with our party primaries and all Court cases arising from them. There will be no further primaries in the PDP, Ebonyi State.
“I hereby enjoin all our party leaders, stakeholders and members to rally round Dr Odii on this onerous task of taking Ebonyi state to greater heights. Ebonyi state is a PDP state and we know how our problem started. But we are now determined to recover our mandate in the 2023 elections.
“Other aspirants who did not succeed during the party primaries should understand that power belongs to God, and as such, the party remains supreme. I advise those who did not succeed during the party primaries to close ranks with our party flag bearers so as to enable the PDP win the 2023 general elections in the state.
“As our party, the PDP, prepares to launch her electioneering campaigns, I call on all party faithfuls to gear up to offer unflinching and unalloyed support and solidarity to all the candidates of our great party in the 2023 Elections. This is the only way to rescue Ebonyi state from the hands of the APC led government.
“I hereby formally declare my total support for the PDP Governorship candidate, Dr Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii and all other candidates of our party I equally call on other party members and patriotic Ebonyians to join forces with us in this strategic struggle to rescue and reposition our state”, he stated.
He congratulated Ebonyi State and the teeming party faithfuls for their resilience in the face of all odds and their rugged determination to sustain their democratic participation inspite of what he termed man-made obstacles.
On the power rotation controversy, Mgbada categorically stated that there was no known agreement on how power should be rotating in the state since its creation in 1996.
