The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State, Kelechi Anosike, has expressed confidence that the party is stronger, more united and fully prepared to reclaim power in the 2027 governorship election.

Anosike made the declaration on Wednesday in Umuahia during his first official homecoming to appreciate delegates for choosing him as the party’s governorship candidate for the next general election.

He said the PDP had been revitalised and was now better positioned to secure victory in the state.

“PDP has found new energy in Kelechi Anosike. So it is a show of strength and faith in what we are doing, and also to tell the whole world that Abia PDP is strong, is vibrant, is united, and far more formidable.

“PDP is the strongest, the most structured party in Abia State. There is no other party that has structure in all the wards, all the polling units.

“PDP membership strength is strong and formidable. With such number, it is difficult to beat that party when they are united. So, PDP is stronger now. PDP is united and far more formidable,” he said.

Describing himself as a welfarist, Anosike said his administration, if elected, would prioritise the welfare of workers and residents.

“As a welfarist, we believe what the Bible says, that a labourer is entitled to his wages. So you owe no man nothing but your love,” he stated.

He outlined several programmes his administration intends to implement, including promoting industrial harmony, improving residents' welfare and establishing the Abia Labour Global Opportunities Agency to equip young people with skills that would enable them to compete in the international job market.

Anosike also proposed the creation of the Abia State Informal Sector Development Regulatory Agency to regulate the informal sector, certify skilled workers and issue licences where necessary.

“So what we want to do is we want to increase their capacity and increase their value, because money follows value,” he said.

Speaking further, the PDP candidate said his vision for governance extends beyond infrastructure development to include investments in human capital.

“We will construct roads. We will build infrastructure. But beyond that, human capacity development is key to what we intend to do.

“Several jobs will be created, both in industries and agriculture. So you hear about Operation Feed Abia, which is a back-to-farm state policy. So a lot of programmes and policies will improve the lives of Abians,” he said.

Anosike also revealed plans to establish a sports academy to discover, develop and showcase the talents of young people from the state.

In addition, he pledged to review the salary structure, introduce the Abia State Health Insurance Scheme, strengthen primary healthcare centres, construct rural roads to improve access for farmers and create employment opportunities for youths.

“We will review the salary structure, introduce the Abia State Health Insurance Scheme, make the primary healthcare centres effective and functional, build rural roads to help farmers, and create jobs for the youths. This is where the optimism comes from,” he added.

Commenting on preparations for the 2027 elections, Anosike said the successful national documentation and profiling exercise conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had confirmed the eligibility of the party's candidates.

“Having uploaded our names successfully, we have eligible candidates validly presented by our party to contest the 2027 general election,” he said.