The eight All Progressives Congress (APC) members in the Anambra State House of Assembly paid a courtesy visit to the Anambra deputy governor, Dr Nkem Okeke, on Tuesday in Awka, saying that APGA is now a party of nepotism, high-handedness, and under the reign of an emperor.
Leader of the delegation, Dr Timothy Ifediora (APC-Njidoka 1) said it was a visit of solidarity as the deputy governor defected to the APC in spite of intimidation by the state government.
He encouraged the deputy governor to hold steadfast to his schedule till March 17, 2022 when the current administration would vacate office.
Ifediora said that Okeke’s defection to APC was a sign of commitment towards effective service delivery for improved welfare of the people of the state.
“We are in your office to felicitate with you for joining APC.
“You have shown the spirit of a statesman, God bless you,’’ the team leader told the deputy governor.
He also assured Okeke of the team’s support and determination to reposition governance in the state.
“We have to make out time to officially pay a solidarity visit to you and support you in our efforts to move Anambra forward. We are proud of you and happy that you have joined the APC,’’ Ifediora stressed.
The legislator said the APC members dumped the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) because it had swayed from its core values.
“APGA is now a party of nepotism, high-handedness, deceit and has become property of some families and individuals in the state,’’ he said.
“In fact APGA is led by an emperor. We were treated badly like strangers in the party we collectively built,’’ Ifediora said.
He added that he left APGA because of the fraudulent primaries that brought Prof. Charles Soludo as the governorship candidate of the party for the Nov. 6 election.
Welcoming the delegation, the deputy governor commended the APC caucus members for the solidarity visit even in the face of busy campaigns to different parts of the state.
Okeke said that he had wanted to join another party since he had reached his peak in APGA.
He said Anambra could not continue to be at the background in national affairs or be a lone ranger all the time, pointing out that since the formation of APGA it had not grown beyond the state.
He stated that the people of the state must begin to think beyond their limitations to greater heights.
He said that the candidate of APC, Andy Uba, is a refined gentleman with good heart to take the state to a greater level.
According to him, one does not need to be a PhD holder to govern effectively.
What is needed, he explained is a good heart, listening ear and ability to be proactive which is found in the APC’s governorship candidate.
“Our people regarded the APC as a Fulani party; that was the dummy sold to the people to confuse them.
“Are our people not serving the country under APC? Are governors from other political parties not having meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari seeking for the good of their states?
If we hate APC because of Buhari, one day he must leave the part; if we negotiate well politically and an Igbo man becomes the president, then will we call it Igbo party’’? the deputy governor queried.
Okeke said that APC would win the Nov. 6 Anambra governorship election because it is a rebranded APC.
“A party that has eight House of Assembly members, six House of Representatives members, one senator and a deputy governor cannot be said to be a child’s play,’’ Okeke said.
He urged Anambra voters to be politically wise and vote in APC candidate on Nov. 6 to leverage on the victory to dialogue on the national table for greater good of the people.
Responding to claims by the visitors and the host that APGA had failed the state, Mr C-Don Adinuba, Anambra Commissioner for Information and Publicity said that the claimants lacked figures and data to support their claims.
Adinuba said he was too busy planning for APGA’s success at the governorship election than to dissipate energy on the claims. (NAN)