Some of the party members disclosed that the purported endorsement had led to a break-up between Mbah and another former state governor, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, which might spell doom for the PDP on Saturday.
The endorsement of Peter Mbah, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), by a former Governor of Enugu State and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Sullivan Chime, has caused ripples among party members in the state.
Some of the party members disclosed that the purported endorsement had led to a break-up between Mbah and another former state governor, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, which might spell doom for the PDP on Saturday.
Chime, who also served as the governor of the state between 2007 and 2015, had at his residence on Sunday endorsed the PDP candidate, Mbah, throwing the PDP and APC parties into a frenzy.
“I have had interactions not just with him (Mbah), but also Frank Nweke (APGA), Chijioke Edeoga of the Labour Party, and to me, looking at the field, Peter Mbah is the best Enugu can offer now.
“I have no reservations whatsoever in endorsing and supporting him. I believe knowing Peter Mbah too well, that he will not disappoint Enugu,” Chime had said.
However, former governor Nnamani was not pleased with the endorsement, party members said.
“Yes Chimaroke was very angry on seeing the viral video, and he complained bitterly, calling Mbah a betrayer and also saying he now knew those influencing Mbah’s actions since he picked the PDP ticket.
“He described Chime as a paperweight whom he made, but who betrayed and nearly destroyed him both economically and politically. He said that Mbah’s close ties with Chime was a conspiracy against him and now showed why Mbah had refused to recognise the Ebeano structure or even the slogan throughout his campaigns. He equally said it was high time he phoned that young man, as he referred to Mbah, and put him in his proper place,” one of the top party members said.
There have been tensions between Mbah and Nnamani but the last straw that broke the camel’s back was Sullivan Chime’s endorsement of Mbah, according to some of the PDP party members.
“Although Senator Nnamani returned from Abuja, he failed to show up at any of Mbah’s four town hall meetings in his Nkanu West LGA. He was instead expecting Mbah to pay him homage at his Ojiagu Agbani country home after the whole exercise, but Mbah snubbed him and headed back to town.
“Many of us (party members) who left to Nnamani’s home to receive Mbah were surprised to hear that he was already on his way to Enugu. From then many started to suspect that all was not well” another source revealed.
Going by the endorsement, Nnamani was reported to be threatened and he described Mbah and Chime as rebels and swore to teach them some political lessons.