Bishop Okoye who gave the advice when he received the Enugu State PDP Ebeano governorship campaign train led by the State Governor Chimaroke Nnamani in his court at Awgu said that, “we can not leave God out in whatever we do”.

The Catholic Bishop described Governor Nnamani as a friend of the Diocese and, thanked him immensely for his help to humanity and the church in many ways.

According to the Bishop, “we want to thank you in a special way for handing over to us St. Vincent Secondary School, Agbogugu and also for the many other ways that you have helped the church and humanity”.

He told Governor Nnamani and the PDP governorship candidate for the State, Mr. Sullivan Chime, that the church was praying for a free and fair election and wished them God’s protection, blessing and success at the polls.

In his words, “we thank you for what you have done and if it pleases God, PDP will win the next elections in Enugu State”.

He also went further to say that, “we are praying that the elections may be free and fair and we should play on the same level playing ground… if it is God and peoples’ will you will get elected. We pray that as you do your campaign nobody gets hurt. We ask God to bless you”.

In his speech, Governor Nnamani described Bishop Okoye as a counselor and a father who had identified with his government for many years, adding that their visit was to pay their respect to the Bishop to seek his blessing and that him for his support.

“We came here to pay our respect to a great Bishop, to a friend, to a counselor, one who has stood by us for many years… we have also come to seek your blessings and also thank you for your support”, the Governor said.

Governor Nnamani also told the Catholic Clergyman that they had come to present Mr. Sullivan Chime as the party’s gubernatorial flag bearer in the state and assured that what his administration could not do during its tenure in Awgu would be completed by Mr. Chime if voted into office.

In his words, “Our party, the PDP, has nominated Barrister Sullivan Chime to fly the banner of our party for the coming election. So we have come to present him to you.. we pledge that what we had left undone hopefully Sullivan will do it for the people”.

The PDP governorship candidate in his speech said that as a catholic he felt highly honoured to meet with the Bishop and appealed to him for his continued support and prayers.

Barrister Chime said “I feel honoured to be here in this my first visit to you. We know the peculiar needs of Awgu and I assure you that they will be addressed. So Sir, we are seeking your blessings in this our bid”.

Earlier, while addressing a rally of party supporters at Aninri and Awgu local government areas, Governor Nnamani thanked the people for their support to the party and his government in the past years, adding that Awgu and Aninri had occupied a special place in his political carrier.

The Governor stated that the Ebeano political structure was built on hope and understanding and said, “our structure is built on hoe… we empower people in various ways… you are all important to us… we will do everything possible to sustain this hope in our structure”.

He, therefore, presented the party’s governorship candidate, Mr. Sullivan Chime, to the people and appealed to them to vote for him and other PDP candidates during the April 2007 general elections.

According to the Governor, “We are empowering people and we deposit in the goodwill of God… God gives us goodwill when we face opposition… we hope that incoming governor, Mr. Chime, by the grace of God, will finish the work we did not do”.

Also addressing the rally, the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Mr. Chime, promised the people of Awgu and Aninri that if voted into power, his government will pursue aggressively, the provision of water, electricity and rehabilitation of roads in the area.

According to him, “I promise you now that there will be no excuse not to provide those basic needs, …it is not in my character to give specific promises but in case of Awgu… we will pursue aggressively the provision of water, electricity and the link roads.

The are the programmes that are top most on our agenda, therefore I appeal to you to continue to demonstrate your support to the party and Ebeano political structure by giving us your votes during the April elections” he said.

Speakers that addressed the rally at Awgu and Aninri including the State Party Chairman, Chief Onyioha Nwanjoku and Chairmen of the Council areas Mr. John Oyego pledged their support to the party and all its candidates for the April elections.

Chief Nwanjoku described the rally as very successful and thanked the people for their massive support to the party over the years and therefore urged them to continue to demonstrate same during the April elections.

The Ebeano 2007 governorship campaign rally was also held at Isi-Uzo and Udenu local government areas where the governorship candidate was presented with an “ofo” by the Traditional Rulers and elders of Isi-Uzo and Udenu local government areas as mark of authority and their support.

Addressing the rally, the State Governor and leader of the party in the state Chimaroke Nnamani described the large turnout of the people as further demonstration of their support to the party and his administration.

According to the Governor, “I am very grateful to the people of Isi-Uzo and Udenu for the support to our government,” he said.

The Governor described the people of the two local governments as highly mobilized, sensitized, loyal and special people to the government and said that he has no doubt that they will deliver all the party’s candidate during the April elections.”

In his words, “W are in communities that are very loyal, humble, non demanding, ever faithful, every responding to support PDP… I have no doubt that Isi-Uzo and Udenu will deliver,” he said.

He told the people that Mr. Chime was aware of their problems and the composition of the Ebeano structure and appealed to them to vote for him and give him all support just as they supported him.

In his speech, the governorship candidate, Mr. Chime, told the people that on assumption of office by special grace of God, priority attention will be given to roads in the area and address the issue of water problem.

According to him, “everything is not done once but you can be assured that roads and water are some of problems to be solved in the local governments.

He therefore thanked the people – traditional rulers, members of the academia, traders association, NULGE and party supporters for their support and appealed to them to demonstrate the support in more concrete terms during the April elections.

Mr. Chime said, “we are here to canvas for your vote and appeal to you to continue with the support they gave the party in 1999 and practicalize its during the April elections by returning all our candidates from Presidency, Governors down to the legislators.

Other Speakers at the rally including the State party Chairman, Chief Nwanjoku, the National Auditor of the party, Chief Bernard Eze, the PDP Senatorial candidate for Enugu North Senatorial zone, Chief Ayogu Eze and Mr. Nestor Ezema described Isi-Uzo and Udenu as home for PDP and promised to deliver all the party’s candidate for the April election in their area.

Chief Bernard Eze and Ayogu Eze thanked Governor Nnamani for empowering a good number of their youth and major infrastructural development projects executed in their area, adding that his record of achievement over the years had paved way for all the party’s candidate to sail through at the polls.