Valentine Ozigbo, the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) gubernatorial candidate for 2021, has emerged favourite for the Anambra South senatorial ticket of the party, following a strong endorsement that followed his candidacy at a town hall meeting he hosted recently, with delegates of the PDP.
Ozigbo, a respected business leader, received an overwhelming endorsement for the PDP’s Senatorial ticket for Anambra South from the delegates at the event held at Hollywood Event Centre in Awka, the capital of Anambra State.
While speaking, Ozigbo thanked the high-powered PDP audience for taking time out of their schedules to attend the meeting, expressing pride in the quality of aspirants who have indicated an interest in occupying elective offices.
Ozigbo declared that the era of impunity, imposition, and undermining of internal democracy in PDP in Anambra State is over.
He maintained that he remains a champion for due process, and his principles of fairness and justice have guided him to recognise the party executives that emerged through the ward congress conducted by the Governor Seyi Makinde-led committee in February 2022.
“We only have a few days to the primary elections, and we are all aware of Anambra’s sorry state.
“Therefore, I have been on the ground to make sure that we do things according to the book, and I assure you that no matter the attempts, the right thing must be done in Anambra PDP,” Ozigbo declared to loud applause.
“As your leader,” he continued, “I will always stand by what is right, what is just, and what serves the good of all.”
The PDP guber candidate also decried the attempts by some PDP leaders to hijack the process for the Ad Hoc Congresses, which were scheduled for May 1, 2022,noting that the panel chairman sent to conduct the congress was compromised and committed to doing the biddings of some party leaders who know they can never win in a free and fair process.
Ozigbo debunked the accounts of the chairman of the panel, who alleged they were kidnapped and held hostage.
He reiterated that PDP stakeholders only asked to see the original result sheets before the exercise commenced and following the failure of the panel to produce the original result sheets, they postponed the exercise.
He hailed the integrity of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in upholding the truth about the exercise and said that INEC’s report vindicated him and other party leaders who were falsely accused of kidnapping the ad hoc congresses’ panel.
In his powerful speech, Ozigbo emphasised the importance of a free and fair primary for all tickets to ensure party unity and victory at the polls.
“Let me reiterate that the only reason I left the comforts of corporate Nigeria and ventured into politics is my discomfort with the desolate state of our country and dissatisfaction with the status quo.
“I have chosen to stop complaining from the sidelines and be part of the solution. So far, we have recorded tremendous wins, and I thank you all for coming with me on this journey.
“For me, our most important focus should be the progressive evolution of our people, which can only begin when we ensure that only the right people are elected into political offices across the board. First, we must entrench due process, which validates the credibility of our party flagbearers,” he noted
Ozigbo, the immediate past President and Group CEO of Transcorp Plc, further charged the PDP delegates to consider the weight of their decisions and ensure that credible candidates emerge.
“Our party’s primary election holds in a week, and I urge our delegates to be resolute, unbiased, and fair. Examine everyone who has declared an interest and vote for who your conscience tells you can give you a quality representation.
“My solemn promise is to support all candidates who emerge from the primary election process, and I expect the same from everyone. We must unite and win together.
“As a proud, hardworking people, Anambra South has one senatorial seat and needs to send a leader they will be proud of to the Senate.
“I have declared my intention to occupy this office because I believe I meet all the criteria of a generational leader, which is what our people desperately need right now.
“Anambra South needs an eloquent, compassionate leader, connected locally and internationally and has a solid knowledge of governance and government policies.
“We need an educated, assertive, and influential candidate with a clean, impeccable character, and I believe I am that person.
“Anambra South is lagging in terms of development and community cohesion, and I want to change that story by using political power to drive accelerated progress and development.
“I am here to set a new standard for what it means to be a Senator. I aim to create several channels for my people to reach me and for prompt action to be taken on their needs.
“We will sign a charter for engagement. Gone are the days when your representatives sail off to Abuja after elections and forget about you, returning with peanuts like rickety roads and gutters in the name of constituency projects.
“I will always sit with you and ask for your expectations of me. All seven Anambra South local government areas will feel my leadership. I will be a servant of the people.
“I will bring my personality to bear on interactions and engagement with National and State governments to better all of Anambra South. As a friend to all with no enemies, I will oil the wheel of progress for the good of our people,” Ozigbo declared to the enthusiastic audience.
The venue was packed to its capacity of 1,000 with stakeholders, aspirants, and delegates from the seven local government areas that make up the Anambra South senatorial zone.
