The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has unveiled a star-studded campaign council, advisory council, elders forum, and campaign committee that would serve as the PDP Gubernatorial Campaign Organisation for Anambra State.
The announcement was made at a meeting with journalists in Awka on Sunday.
Included in the team were eminent personalities like former Governor Peter Obi, Senator Uche Ekwunife, who was named the Chairperson of the Campaign Council, Senator Stella Oduah, a former aviation minister, who currently represents Anambra North at the Nigerian Senate, and a serving federal lawmaker, Hon. Chris Azubogu as well as Dr. Ifedi Okwenna.
Ekwunife would share leadership of the campaign Council with Senator Oduah; Dr Winston Udeh, a lawyer and former governorship aspirant would serve as the Vice-Chairman; as well as Dr. Alex Obiogbolu, a seasoned public administrator and politician, who has been involved with several successful electoral campaigns, would serve as the Director-General of the PDP Gubernatorial Campaign Organisation.
Other notable appointments into the PDP Anambra State Campaign Council were Hon. Tim Egboka, a former member of the Anambra State House of Assembly, who would serve as the Deputy Director-General for the campaign; Chief Tony Offiah, a prominent PDP stalwart who would serve as Director of Financial Services; Chief Ugochukwu Okeke, who wouldserve as Secretary to the State Campaign Council; and Hon. George Ozodinobi, a former federal lawmaker who would serve as the Secretary to the Chairman of the Campaign Council.
Named as Zonal Directors of the campaign were Hon Chris Azubogu (South), Hon Gabriel Onyenwife (North), and Dr A. A. Anagu (Central).
In his remarks, Ozigbo expressed gratitude and delight at the open arms with which the political leaders have received him and said history was being made as the PDP in Anambra has not been as united and strong, leading up to an election as it has become today.
Ekwunife, in her comments, said the November 6 election was the PDP’s to take and that she was wholly committed to leading the PDP team to a landslide victory at the poll.
She came on board the campaign following a high-powered reconciliation effort by the PDP Governors’ Forum.
Obiogbolu, the campaign’s Director-General, said there was abundance of hope and opportunities for the story of Anambra to change for good if the people embraced the PDP, saying the campaign organisation represented the best collection of talents and experience in the state’s politics.
Other distinguished persons appointed as Directors in the PDP State Governorship Campaign Organisation were the first female state speaker in Anambra and a former federal lawmaker, Rt. Hon. Eucharia Azodo (Religious Groups); a former guber aspirant, Barrister Emeka Etiaba (Legal); the PDP’s 2017 Deputy Governorship candidate, Mrs Chidi Onyemelukwu (Women Mobilisation) and Mr Obinna Ufudo, a former President and Group CEO of Transcorp Plc (Finance).
On board too were Chief Don Onochie (Contacts and Mobilisation); a former state and federal lawmaker, Hon Barr. Valentine Ayika (Strategy and Planning); a media guru and communications expert, Ms Aziza Uko (Media and Communications); a former PDP state chairman, Mr Ejike Oguebego (Intra and Intra Party Affairs); and Dr (Mrs) Rose Nwankwo (Support Groups).
There were also a former gubernatorial aspirant, Barrister Joe Martins Uzodike (Publicity); Chief Chudi Akude (Research, Statistics, and Training); Ogom Izukanne (Youth Mobilisation); Fab Ozoigbo (Campaign Operations); Benji Uba (Transport); Chikaodili Obiefuna (Welfare); Chinelo Ofoche (Protocols); and Hon. Chuba Oranusi (Non-Indigenous Groups).
At a PDP town hall meeting in late July, Valentine Ozigbo announced Mrs Azuka Enemo, a two-time Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, as his running mate. Her appointment has been praised in several prominent quarters, including a group of over 100 PDP elders in a communiqué published on August 10, 2021