Enugu senators bank on Jonathan for re-election

Following the position of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Enugu state Chapter, that no official from the state who has been elected to the same position for two terms will get the party's ticket in the forthcoming 2015 general elections, some of the affected officials have begun exploring avenues to circumvent the chapter's position.

The three senator from the are banking on the intervention of the President Goodluck Jonathan to get the state chapter of the party, which is firmly controlled by the state's governor Sullivan Chime, to make some exceptions to its position.

Our correspondent gathered that the Deputy Senate President, Mr. Ike Ekweremadu, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Mr. Ayogu Eze, who are both affected by the Gov Sullivan's position that those who have served for two terms would not get the party's ticket for 2015, have established strong inroad in the presidency and are hoping that they could get the President to sway Gov Chime.

It was learnt that the Ekweremadu have been projecting himself to the Presidency as the centre-point of its support base in the National Assembly, a claim that we learnt had set him on collision part with the senate President.

Besides, a top official of the PDP told THE RAINBOW that the Deputy Senate President had used his consistent proposition of one six-year term for the presidency as a ploy to remain on the president's good book. The one-term, six-year presidency was the original idea of President Jonathan who canvassed it earlier in the life of administration, which Ekweremadu has kept alive through his position as Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee of the Senate..

However, What makes his case very difficult is the fact that Gov.Chime is believed to be interested in running for the Senate seat. Incidentally both the governor and deputy senate president come from the same constituency.

For Senator Eze, the case is a little different. The state PDP chapter's position does not foreclose him seeking the governorship position for the state, which has been zoned to Enugu North Zone by the party in the state.

The rank senator is one of those who have been mentioned in all calculations as nursing governorship ambition. This means that he may be deploying much of his energy and resources towards fulfilling the gubernatorial ambition and has kept less focus on returning to the Senate..

However, our correspondent learnt that Eze like most other contenders for positions in the state is maintaining low profile over his ambition waiting for when the state governor would indicate who he would support for the gubernatorial seat.

The fear expressed by the people in the camp is that Eze's already high political profile may count against him in terms of Gov Chime's endorsement as the governor might settle on somebody who is not likely to break rank too easily.

However, we learnt that the two senators believe that if they get strong backing from the presidency, including the powerful first lady, Gov Chime could be swayed to change his position and even drop senatorial ambition. They might factor a ministerial slot in the calculations.

However, some political observers believe that it might be difficult to persuade the presidency to intervene on their behalf as it would not like to risk the strong support of the governor who is the man on the ground in the realization of the president's yet-to-be declared second term ambition.

Eze's grass root projects, self initiated poverty alleviation and empowerment projects, coupled with constituency projects,he has attracted to Enugu North senatorial district are said to be well-acknowledged by his constituents.

Besides, his visibility in the Senate where he has entrenched himself as one the lead contributors in vital national issues has further endeared him to his Enugu North constituents.

But a pundit says that all those might account to nothing in terms of political fate in 2015, saying that such matters hardly count when the chips are down.

The case of Senator Gilbert Nnaji,representing Enugu East senatorial district in the National assembly is is however different.

Though, a first term senator, his constituents appear to be dis enchanted with his representation.

There are growing insinuations that the state PDP machinery ,of which Governor Chime, by his status is the current leader, will not give him a second term ticket,over alleged poor representation, while Senator Nnaji is nursing serious ambition to go to the senate for a second term.

His sit may be occupied the Senate's next term by chief of staff to the Enugu state governor, chief Mrs Ifeoma Nwobodo,who has remained a solid rock behind governor Chime's success story  in the past seven years of administration.

THE RAINBOW