One of the leading contestants for the Enugu West Senatorial seat, Barrister OAU Onyema says he deserves to get the Peoples Democratic Party ticket for the 2023 election.
He told a cross-section of the party’s delegates who visited him on Wednesday that he has made sacrifices for the progress of the party and should be rewarded for his loyalty and steadfastness.
The meeting which he called in his residence in GRA, Enugu, attracted over 100 delegates from Udi, Ezeagu, Oji River, Aninri and Awgu Local Government Areas.
While he solicited their prayers and their support, however,Onyema restated his confidence in the leadership of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, adding that he would abide by his decision on who flies the party’s flag in the contest.
“Those of us aspiring to the Senate in Udi Local Government Area have an understanding that the governor has the final say on who becomes the party’s flagbearer. I subscribe to that understanding, so if someone else is chosen for the contest, I will not only support him or her, I will put my remaining resources into the election to ensure victory for PDP ” he said.
He recalled that twice in the past, in 2003 and 2007 he aspired to the House of Representatives, but was prevailed upon to step down for the eventual winner. Also in 2011 and 2019 he made unsuccessful attempts to run for the Senate but never disobeyed the party’s decision or challenged the outcome of the contest, even when there were reasonable causes to do so.
“I have been seeking this position and stepping down for others, so this time around the leadership of this party should ask other aspirants to step down for OAU Onyema…that is only fair.”
According to him, he has been in the contest since 2011, “now that it has become the turn of Udi Local Government Area, everybody wants to go to the Senate.”
He told the delegates who were upbeat with singing and dancing in praise of the aspirant and Gov. Ugwuanyi that fairness and justice demands that he takes the first shot.
The meeting which was witnessed by many party stalwarts, is the third the aspirant would be scheduling in batches, with delegates from the Senatorial zone.
It is widely expected that the Enugu-West Senate seat will be filled by a candidate from Udi Local Government Area which has never produced a Senator for the zone.
The present occupant of the seat, Ike Ekweremadu who is rounding off his 5th term, indicated in 2018 that he would not recontest the position. He has since entered the governorship race for Enugu State.
