By CHARLES IWUOHA

Youths, women, Council of Elders and clergy groups in the Isi-Uzo Local Government chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) have urged Dr. Davidson Nnamani to contest for the 2023 governorship election in Enugu State.

The groups made the request when they visited Nnamani in his country home at Ikem during the weekend.

The party members, including non- indigenes resident in the local government, maintained that it was the turn of Isi-Uzo local government to produce the next governor of Enugu State in 2023.

One of the delegates and an Anglican Priest, Rev. Nwankemmadu Ogenyi, disclosed that Isi-Uzo has not benefitted from any collective political position since 1999, stressing that the local government area was being marginalised in Enugu State.

Ogenyi added that the marginalisation would be properly addressed if a son or daughter of Isi-Uzo is elected as Governor in 2023 and called on other local government areas in the State, especially in the Enugu East senatorial district to support their cause.

The clergyman expressed belief that their preferred candidate would emerge victorious in the poll on the platform of the APC, which according to him, was the party at the centre.

“I was sent by the clergy in Isi-Uzo and your name, Dave Nnamani, is a household name. Your Charity works speak for you and we believe that if you contest, you will win.

“Please make up your mind for this contest because we are aware that the next Enugu state Governor has been zoned to Enugu East senatorial zone and other local governments in our zone have held this position in the past, except Isi-Uzo and so we zeroed in on Dave Nnamani in APC, knowing that APC, as a national ruling party, will win Enugu state in 2023,” Rev Nwankemmadu said.

A representative of APC women groups, Mrs. Justina Ede, explained that their request was based on the track record and achievements of Nnamani, describing him as a man who has the interest of Isi-Uzo and Enugu state at heart.

According to Mrs Ede, Nnamani would correct the injustice done to the people of Isi-Uzo by successive governments, lamenting that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has really short-changed the council area.

Speaking on behalf of non-indigenes residing in Isi-Uzo, Mrs. Christiana Onah, said that the non-indigenes in Isi-Uzo would not hesitate to elect someone who would deliver dividends of democracy to them.

“Despite repeated calls for the PDP-controlled state government to fix Ikem-Eha-Amufu road, nothing has been done to the extent that plying the road has become a nightmare for the road users,” Onah lamented.

A representative of the youth, Mr. Samuel Uguru, said that the youths in the party were solidly behind the call for Nnamani to vie for the governorship seat.

Responding, Nnamani thanked his people for the trust they reposed in him by requesting him to join the governorship race in the forthcoming election.

Nnamani told the delegates that he would engage in a wider consultation on their request and make his intention known at the appropriate time and assured them that he would not disappoint them.