Ekwunife, speaking with journalists after submitting her nomination form at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, said she was convinced of beating other aspirants.

She, however, pledged not to leave PDP even if she failed to secure the party’s ticket.

“I am a sitting senator of PDP and my tenure will be coming to an end in 2023

If I don’t get the party’s ticket, I am not defecting to anywhere but I am very optimistic and also believe that I will get the ticket to run for the governorship,” she said.

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Ekwunife pledged to reform the security architecture in the state, if given the mandate.

“If elected governor, I will reform the security architecture. I will partner with security agencies to make sure they are equipped with sophisticated weapons,” she said.

Ekwunife ruled out the idea of a consensus candidate among PDP aspirants, saying it was too late.

“I don’t see how a consensus arrangement will play out now, considering the galaxy of men and a woman in the race. I am running to win, so I don’t see how consensus arrangement will work,” she said.

The senator pledged to continue to empower women if elected as governor.

“I ran for the House of Representatives in 2007 under a very stiff competition and by the special grace of God, I won to represent the good people of Anambra central.

“I was not a governor and you know that in that position, there is a limit to what you can do in terms of maybe giving a woman a ticket.

“But I worked with a lot of women and empowered a lot of them. I was the first that took women to Dubai to establish businesses for them but I can’t give a woman ticket to go and run an election.

“I encouraged a lot of women and in fact, a lot of women are under my watch and they have tried their bests to get into elective positions,” she said.