Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has thrown his weight behind Senator Uche Ekwunife for Anambra Central senatorial district contest in 2019, with the purchase of the All Progressive Congress (APC)’s senatorial nomination form for her.
Disclosing this in Awka at the weekend in the presence of Ngige, Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, senator Ekwunife said with the backing of the minister, who is the leader of the party in the state, she is ready to reclaim her mandate.
Ekwunife was removed from the Senate by the Court of Appeal, Enugu, through the appeal of Chief Victor Umeh, in 2016, which led to a re-run election in the district which saw Umeh emerged victorious.
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But, speaking during the dedication of Saint Lawrence Chapel and commissioning of Senator Uche Ekwunife Centre, the former lawmaker thanked Ngige for his foresight in politics and officially announced her intention to contest in the forthcoming general election and also thanked the minister for giving her his blessing.
“You know, as a politician, sometimes you find a very interesting gathering and you use it to make a political statement.
“We are not here for politics but sometimes you have a very interesting coincidence. I was just taking my time, it was just two days ago that I decided that I will go back and reclaim my mandate.
“So, I will like to use this August gathering to say that the mandate my constituency gave me, that I will claim it in Jesus name.
“My friend, governor Ugwuanyi is a member of PDP and a governor in PDP, so, what I am saying has nothing to do with party affiliation, senator Ekwunife represents every party.
“I thank my leader in the party, senator Ngige for his foresight in politics, when he was dragging us we didn’t know, but now, we can understand, we didn’t see before, but now we have seen. So, I want to thank Onwa.
“Let me also seize this opportunity to say that the form that I filled, it was Onwa (Ngige) who gave me.
“The form he bought, he gave me to fill, so, the form I filled is with his blessing, so, I want to announce it before the gathering…”