Enugu 2015: 'I remain candidate to beat', Says Senator Ayogu Eze
Senate Committee Chairman on Works and one of the governorship aspirants in Enugu state under the umbrella of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Ayogu Eze has said that he remains the candidate to beat in the 2015 election and would not give in to plots to discourage him.
Speaking to reporters in Enugu shortly after he was received by his supporters at his residence, Senator Eze said he had no problem with any of the governorship aspirants of the party, adding that insinuations alleging that he had parted ways with Enugu state governor, Sullivan Chime over his opposition to the consensus arrangement is far from the truth, saying that he has continued to maintain the best of relationship with him (Chime) as a friend and leader of the party in the state.
He said that he decided to contest in the primaries of the party against the decision of the state chapter based on the assurance of the national leadership to protect and offer level playing ground for all aspirants.
'The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party has outlawed endorsement, appointment and anointing of candidates. They have said they are going to open the field and they made a statement that all the people who are shortchanged, the party will go out of its way to protect them to ensure that they get a level playing field. So I am not afraid of the anointing or endorsement of any candidate. I don't have anything against any candidate that has been anointed.
'We are all Enugu state people and we are going to have one governor at a time. But all we are saying is that they should open the space, so that a governorship candidate can be thrown up from a competitive and transparent electoral process and the rest of the people will queue behind the candidate and take him to the next level. That is all that we are saying.
'I am not disobeying the party, I am only exercising my right within the constitution of the party, because as a member of the party, I have my rights, I have my privileges, I have guaranteed roles and duties within the party and I am performing it all. I believe that what has happened will not stop anybody from presenting him or herself and it is going to be a competitive process and at the end of the day the will of God exercised through the people shall prevail.
'I have every reason that a level playing ground will be provided because I know that the primary will be supervised by the electoral committee through the national working committee and since they said that they will do everything to provide a level playing field, I have every reason to believe they will do so'. Eze , who represents Enugu north senatorial zone stated that he was confident that he would emerge the party's governorship candidate in the November 29 primaries of the party, stressing that he would have quit the race if he was not sure of where he was going.
'As a senator without a specific budgetary provision, I have been able to bring road projects worth billions, I was able to bring a radio station that is transmitting now and ready for commissioning, I have been able to bring two television stations completed and now being equipped. I was able to bring a digital institute nearing completion, water projects, health centres, electricity and employment of my people and even as I speak employment letters are being issued to my people. Above all we want a God fearing man, who will make Christianity the centre of events,” he said.