PDP screens Abia, Oyo, Enugu, other gov aspirants

Governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party, including Dr. Kelechi Anosike (Abia State) Mogaji Kayode Ogunshola (Oyo State), Samson Nnamani (Enugu State) and other contenders on Thursday reaffirmed the strength of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections, pledging their commitment to delivering good governance and people-focused leadership across their respective states.

Speaking after appearing before the Ahmed Makarfi-led PDP governorship screening committee in Abuja, Anosike said the people of Abia State are being short-changed.

He added that if the government were performing well, he would not be in the race, insisting that what exists is “media hype and exaggerated performance with nothing concrete on ground.”

He stated, “In all six sectors of good governance, only roads can be scored at about 50 percent, mainly short-distance roads, while the other sectors are below that. That alone gives the answer that Abia has not performed very well.

“I am in the race, and I have launched what I call Operation Feed Abia (O-F-A). I believe no citizen should go to bed hungry again. There will be a back-to-farm state policy where governors will have farms, and everyone will be encouraged to have farms to support local farmers and promote food security. This is the essence of Operation Feed Abia.

“I also stated that part of why I am in the race is to drive civil service reforms. Paying the minimum wage is the least that can be done. Our administration will pay far above the minimum wage—while some say it is N90,000, Abia is still struggling to pay 70. We will go beyond that. We will introduce what we call civil service care, where workers are paid above the minimum wage and also provided health insurance coverage, so that if they contribute 30 percent, the government covers 70 percent of their medical bills.

“Healthcare is very expensive in Nigeria, so the government must prioritize the welfare and well-being of Abians. We will also introduce what we call pension plus. Paying pensions should not be a burden. Those who have served the state for 35 years should also enjoy medical insurance and additional benefits. This is because they are senior citizens and deserve proper care.”

He said his plan is to create job opportunities for Abia youths and reduce the rate at which graduates leave the state for Abuja and Lagos, stressing that young people are central to his campaign.

Anosike stated that he intends to industrialise Abia by tapping into its untapped resources and making long-term investments that will drive future prosperity.

He also proposed interest-free microcredit support for SMEs, saying his focus will be on a welfare-driven economy that combines infrastructure with people-centred development.

The Oyo State Governorship aspirant, Ogunshola from Iwajowa Local Government said his economic plan focuses on strengthening SMEs, developing local industries through value addition, and expanding skills training in areas such as masonry, carpentry, and woodwork to tackle unemployment and reduce dependence on foreign labour.

He declared that his agenda includes improving rural development, education, healthcare, governance, and security, stressing that insecurity must be addressed by tackling poverty and unemployment while ensuring inclusive and transparent governance.

Ogunshola stated, “We must also focus on rural development and agriculture because many of our people in the villages have the capacity to produce, but they don’t have the support. We need to build rural roads, irrigation systems, storage facilities and agro-processing centres so that farmers can increase production and make more money from their work. Agriculture should not just be about survival. It should become a commercial system that creates wealth, jobs and opportunities for our people.

“Education and healthcare are also critical. We need to renovate our public schools, equip our technical institutions and ensure that our young people acquire practical and digital skills that can help them compete globally. On healthcare, we must strengthen our primary healthcare centres and ensure that quality medical services are accessible and affordable for ordinary people. We also need policies that will encourage qualified professionals to remain and work in Oyo State.

“Governance must also be transparent and inclusive. Government cannot work in isolation. We must carry along traditional rulers, community leaders, youths and women groups in decision-making. Public funds must be managed properly so that every sector feels the impact of government. We must also create policies that will attract investors, improve ease of doing business and ensure economic stability in Oyo State.

“The issue of security, I think, is multifactorial. There is the issue of people just moving around, ranches, and cattle. But I think we need to look at what I call the exception of concerns. We just tend to bundle things up and say, But the security challenge from herders is one issue. There’s poverty. If you don’t address poverty, then things like kidnapping will persist. There’s youth unemployment. So, we need to ensure that we build solutions for each of those items.”

Another Oyo State governorship aspirant, Hazeem Gbolarumi, Oyo governorship aspirant, described the state Seyi Makinde’s presidential ambition as “inordinate,” questioning his experience and suitability for the office.

He rated Makinde zero overall, accusing him of abandoning the party that supported his rise to power, though he acknowledged some progress in governance.

Gbolarumi said the state still needs major improvements in health, education, infrastructure, and security, despite Makinde’s efforts in infrastructure development.

Also, an Enugu State governorship aspirant, Samson Nnamani, has criticised the ongoing smart school initiative in the state, alleging that the project has failed to deliver the expected impact and describing it as “fake.”

“The APC is a party that rules through the media. But if you go down to Enugu, you will discover that the governor is not doing anything. He is only paying media people; that is his best,” he claimed.

Nnamani particularly criticised the smart school initiative, saying the programme is failing to achieve its intended goals.

“The smart school is killing our children, and it’s damaging everywhere. The smart school is fake. It’s a fake project,” he said.

When questioned on whether he noticed the alleged shortcomings while the governor was still in the PDP or only after his political shift, the aspirant insisted that the problems had been present all along.

“It’s not that I didn’t see it before. I realised these projects were fake,” he stated.

He said the concerns about the projects were obvious and could be seen by people across the state.