The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State has appealed to the 2023 Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in the state, Chijioke Edeoga, to rejoin the PDP.
The Chairperson of the PDP in Enugu State, Martin Chukwunweike, made the appeal when he led other executive members of the party to the residence of Mr Edeoga in Enugu on Friday
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Mr Edeoga joined the LP in August 2022 after he failed to secure the PDP governorship ticket ahead of the 2023 election which was won by Peter Mbah, who eventually emerged governor.
The LP candidate came second in the general election.
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He is expected to challenge Mr Mbah again in the forthcoming 2027 governorship election in the state.
Why we want Edeoga back to PDP
Speaking to reporters after their closed-door meeting, Mr Chukwunweike explained that the visit to Mr Edeoga’s residence was part of PDP’s plan to reunite with members who exited the party.
The chairperson said he and Governor Mbah held a meeting and agreed that there was a need to ensure that Enugu remains a PDP state.
“We took the decision to consult some of our very key people, who have been PDP all along. And number one is the person we are in his house now, His Excellency, Chijioke Edeoga.
“Chijioke Edeoga has gone to the House of Representatives under PDP; when we discussed, he told me plainly that he owes a lot to PDP, he has become a lot because of PDP; he has been in the state executive of PDP, and a lot of other things,” Mr Chukwunweike stated.
Continuing, he said: “It was painful to me to come and be acting as PDP chairman without him being in PDP.
“So, the governor approved that I should go and talk to him and beg him to come back to PDP, because he knows that he is also a force to reckon with in Enugu State politics.”
“We have spoken, we have had a lot of discussions before now and today, we came to his house with members of my executive and we have discussed with him inside and he is Okay with our visit, he is very satisfied with our visit and I believe from what he told us that we are going to have him back in the party.”
The chairperson said the PDP leadership in Enugu understood that Mr Edeoga would need time to consult with followers and supporters before rejoining the party.
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Edeoga speaks
Also speaking to reporters, Mr Edeoga said he has been asked to return to the PDP, but he would need to consult with followers and supporters before taking a decision.
“I have told them that I will consult; I will consult widely because I’m a product of several men of goodwill, men and women of goodwill.
“I will have to take back the message of the chairman and his team; I have enormous respect for the team and the chairman,” he said.
“It is not even in the nature of the Igbo man to hear such a weighty thing and respond immediately. I’m going to take it home and I will as quickly as possible get back to the chairman and my position will be known.”
