There are strong indications that intense lobbying has started over who gets the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections in Enugu State.

Investigations by The Guardian showed that, after Saturday’s ward delegates’ election that produced the three delegates for the party primary, aspirants have recruited their contacts and connections within and outside the government towards pressuring the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to endorse their aspirations.

Sources revealed that recruited in the struggle to get the governor’s consent included officials at the presidency, top politicians, serving and former governors of the PDP, captains of industry, serving and former security chiefs as well as former heads of state.

It was gathered that some of the aspirants have gone as far as investing in relatives of the governor, visiting their private residences even at odd hours with gifts to make them “speak to their brother in their favour.”

“They go as far as waiting for one of his relatives at the premises of a Catholic Church, where she normally attends morning masses to inform her about their aspirations and shower her with gifts to induce her to make her brother endorse them,” the source revealed.

He stated that the aspirants, which include those vying for other elective positions in the state, resorted to waiting at the church premises after a relative believed to be “very close to the governor” refused to entertain visitors on a political mission any longer in her residence.

No fewer than 20 persons, especially from Enugu East Senatorial Zone procured the nomination and expression of interest forms to run for the sole governorship seat of the state. By last Thursday, when the party screened those interested in the position, only 15, however, showed up for the exercise.

Although Ugwuanyi has insisted that he would rely on “divine inspiration” to nominate his successor from the crowded aspirants, sources, however, stated that mounting pressure and mouth-watering offers were daily being made on him from different benefactors to consider their candidates. (The Guardian)