ENUGU GUBER: CHIME SLAMS NWOBODO, KEN NNAMANI, OTHERS

•Governor Sullivan Chime
Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State yesterday dismissed reports that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders in the state, among them, former senator Ken Nnamani and Senator Jim Nwobodo have adopted Mr. Anayo Onwuegbu as the alternative governorship candidate for the PDP, describing all those involved in the 'plot' as dreamers.

Chime's reaction came even as he declared Thursday and Friday this week, work free days to enable eligible voters to register for the elections. The governor, who spoke during a special prayer session at the Government House to herald the New Year, maintained that he was the only recognized flag bearer of the party in the elections, adding that he had already filled and filed the necessary forms with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He said any other person claiming the same ticket must be talking about another party and not the PDP and urged both party members and the people of Enugu State to refuse to be deceived or distracted by the antics of some whom he said were out to cause mischief.

He emphasized that the PDP in the state had remained one, despite efforts by some people to divide it. He said: 'You People should not mind those people who are making themselves PDP flag bearers on the pages of newspapers, they are only dreaming. No one holds the PDP gubernatorial ticket in Enugu but me.'

The Director General of his campaign organisation, Dr Festus Uzor had also in a chat with reporters, declared that only one gubernatorial primaries had been held in Enugu (on January 12, 2011) during which Chime was returned and so declared by the Chairman of the panel that conducted the primaries, Alhaji Isa Tafida.

He noted that the primaries had been widely televised and viewed across the country, adding that anyone purporting to have conducted any other primaries or was presenting any other candidate was merely deceiving people and trying to create the semblance of a division.

Conducting the prayer session, the Bishop of Enugu (Anglican Communion), Dr Emmanuel Chukwuma prophesied that Chime's political enemies would fail in their efforts to unseat him, as his mandate was divine.

He warned them to desist from any action that would truncate peace in the state in pursuit of selfish reasons, adding that they should rather join forces with the governor to complete the good work he had started in the state.

'I warn those fighting Governor Chime that enough is enough! They should not truncate the good work of the governor and the peace we have been enjoying in Enugu State for selfish and personal reasons. God has already anointed Governor Chime to lead Enugu State and today, I also confirm that he will be the governor of the state for the next four years.'

The Bishop, who also anointed the governor with holy oil, further urged all political office seekers in the state to ensure that they had the best intentions of the people at heart, warning that churches in the state would be mobilized to ensure that unfit persons were not allowed to be voted into office.