Ahead of the March 11th, 2023, governorship election in Ebonyi State, a popular diaspora group, the Association of Ebonyi Indigenes Socio-Cultural In the Diaspora (AEISCID), has declared total support for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii.
The group also called on people of the state home and abroad to shun zoning arrangements, tribalism and money-induced politics and vote for the PDP Governorship candidate, Chief Odii, to end poverty, create massive employment and good governance through his five-point agenda manifesto.
In a statement released to newsmen and signed by AESICID President (Worldwide) Ambassador Paschal Oluchukwu, the group encouraged all registered voters in the state who have yet to get their PVCs to take advantage of the additional days that the Electoral Commission, INEC, has provided and get their voter cards to elect credible candidates for various elective positions in the forthcoming election.
The statement said: “Our decision is well founded on the leadership and enterprising spirit of Odii who has demonstrated genuine love and commitment to meeting the welfare and needs of downtrodden Ebonyians over the years even as an individual businessman hitherto with no interest in Ebonyi politics.
“We are abreast of the many philanthropic gestures which Odii has offered to indigent Ebonyians including building houses for several widows, assisting many Ebonyi young people to start up medium and small scale businesses and his towering records of touching many lives across the length and breadth of our dear State.
“Above all, we have also taken time to study his five-point agenda manifesto which touched on the key critical areas affecting our people especially as it concerns their economic well-being and social welfare.
“We are enthralled that his ‘Promise of possibility’ manifesto focuses on accelerated economic development and industrialization and youth and human capital development. We believe it specifically addresses the challenges of poverty and hardship that Ebonyians have endured for a long time, particularly under the current administration, under which our poverty statistics rose from 56% in 2015 to over 78%, with Ebonyi officially becoming the poverty capital of the entire Southern Nigeria.”
While declaring its interest in an Ebonyi State where peace and prosperity of the people are paramount, the Diaspora group said: “We, therefore, call on all Ebonyians to shun zoning, tribalism, and money-induced politics, support, and vote for the PDP Governorship candidate, Chief Odii.
“We also encourage all registered voters in the State who are yet to get their PVCs to take advantage of the additional days which the electoral commission, INEC has provided and get their voters cards to elect credible candidates for various elective positions in the forthcoming election.
“Finally, AEISCID beckons on every political Party, particularly the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC which has been widely reported and blamed for the political violence and unrest in the State to play by the rules and ensure that there’s no threat to the peace, security and transition before during and after the elections in our beloved Ebonyi State.”
