By Chimaobi Nwaiwu
NNEWI — The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate for Anambra South Senatorial District in the 2027 general election, Prince Samben Nwosu, has said the party is not dead but is searching for credible leadership.
Nwosu, a former National Organising Secretary of the PDP and former Federal Commissioner at the Public Complaints Commission, also vowed to resist vote buying and attempts to rig the election.
Speaking to newsmen and some party stakeholders at his residence in Nnewi, Nwosu described the PDP as the only political party with a significant grassroots presence across Nigeria.
He said some members who had defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, African Democratic Congress, ADC, and National Democratic Congress, NDC, would eventually return to the PDP.
According to him, the party is “only looking for somebody who the people will trust” to provide effective leadership.
“PDP is the only party in Nigeria that has presence in every compound in Nigeria. Out of every four compounds in Nigeria, PDP is in three. The party is not dead. The truth is that it is looking for leadership.
“The party is looking for somebody who the people will trust. When we see the person, PDP will chase all these small parties out of the scene,” he said.
Nwosu, who said he was popularly known by some party members as “Wadata Virus” because of his attachment to the PDP, said his emergence as the party’s senatorial candidate had encouraged some former members to return.
He said, “I represent the real and core PDP membership. Since taking the party’s senatorial ticket, we have seen people returning to the party. Our party is intact; we are only afraid of being given a bad weapon that will destroy our hands.”
On his campaign agenda, Nwosu said he would focus on sustainable empowerment, job creation and grassroots development.
He said his experience as a Business Development Service Provider licensed by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN, had equipped him with the skills to help people build sustainable businesses.
“My motivation and plans are to deliver effective representation for the people. We will adopt a community-based approach to tackle the challenges in Anambra South,” he said.
Nwosu also pledged to ensure that votes cast across the seven local government areas that make up the senatorial district were counted at the polling units.
He listed the councils as Aguata, Ihiala, Ekwusigo, Orumba North, Orumba South, Nnewi North and Nnewi South.
He said, “2027 general election will not be business as usual, just as it will not be like previous elections where political moneybags successfully rigged themselves into power.
“PDP will deploy all political machinery to ensure that votes are counted at the polling units across the seven local government areas.”
Nwosu urged voters to reject attempts to induce them with money in exchange for their votes, calling on them to turn out and protect their votes on election day.
He said he was seeking the senatorial seat to provide what he described as quality representation, rather than to accumulate personal wealth.
“I am going to the Red Chambers of the National Assembly to serve and not to acquire wealth for my personal use.
“If elected, I will bring a brand new representation to the zone. I am going to the National Assembly to complete the good works which my town’s brother, late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, was doing before his unfortunate demise,” he said.
On the issue of vote buying, Nwosu cited the recently concluded Osun State governorship election, saying he believed that attempts to influence voters financially would not determine the outcome of the Anambra South senatorial contest.
He also dismissed the prospects of candidates of the APC, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and NDC, saying his grassroots contacts and the PDP’s existing structure would support his campaign.
“APC, APGA and NDC candidates cannot be a threat to my aspiration. Apart from my closeness to the people at the grassroots, PDP remains the only political party whose structure has noticeable presence in every household in Nigeria,” he said.
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