By Uche Amunike
The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has told the senator representing Anambra South Senatorial district, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, that he does not have the capacity to deliver APGA in the governorship election coming up in the state in 2025.
APGA Spokesman, Tony Olisa-Mbeki, made this disclosure, Sunday, while responding to calls by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, that the state needed to connect to the centre to start making developmental progress.
Recall that during the distribution of palliatives to his constituents on Sunday, Ubah tasked the state to join national politics to begin making the expected progress.
He distributed the palliatives at the end of a colloquium theme: ‘De-marginalization of South-East Zone and Integration into National Politics’, which he hosted in Nnewi, the Anambra commercial hub, on Friday.
According to Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, his reason for distributing the palliatives was to show his strong resolve in being a part of the reintegration of the state and the southeast into national politics, as a member of the APC. He further stated that the party has good plans for the Igbo people and should be joined by others who have not done so.
Hear him: ‘Anambra has stayed too long in the opposition party. It is now time for the state to connect to the centre and I would use my powers to ensure that smaller political parties in the state collapse its structure for the APC.’
‘I urge all the beneficiaries of these palliatives to put them to good use. This is just the beginning. The empowerment programme is part of the effort to ensure the people get the dividends of democracy.’
He continued: ‘The time has come for Anambra to connect to the national politics to start making expected progress. I want to be part of the reintegration of Anambra into mainstream politics as a means to fast-track development in the state. Come 2025, we will deliver Anambra to APC.’
During the event, the Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, who was represented by his deputy, Patricia Obika, stated that the APC was solidly behind Anambra State, as could be seen from the mammoth crowd present at the stadium, which was clearly an indication that Anambra will win under the APC, come 2025.
On his part, the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, stated, during his remarks that he was happy to witness the empowerment program which was a part of the efforts to alleviate the suffering caused Nigerians, by the fuel subsidy removal. He commended President Tinubu on the fuel subsidy removal and stabilization of the Naira, stating that previous governments before him, tried to take the bold step, but failed.
His words: ‘We realised that these policies came with temporary hardship, and the President has commenced distribution of palliatives to states to cushion the effect of the hardship.’
‘I encourage other leaders to see their political opponents as their brothers during these hard times. What I have seen in this field today, is as good as a capital project, we have a party that is interested in the welfare of the people, de-imagination of the South-East is now a national project.’
National Chairman of the APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, noted that both marginalization and de-imagination in the Southeast were discussed at the colloquium. He also stated that he was interested in reconnecting the zone to the centre as a way of faster acting development in the region, as Senator Ifeanyi Ubah indicated.
Mbeki, however, maintained that APC and Ifeanyi Ubah cannot dislodge APGA in the state, as the people never believed in APC.
Hear him: ‘People that will vote are Anambra people and they are not going to import voters from anywhere. APC has not even won any election in Anambra since since inception till dathe. In fact, as we speak, APC is non-existent in Anambra State. Forget all this propaganda of empowerment, anybody can do empowerment and gather people, but when the chips are down, the people know where to stand.’
‘Which business has Ubah managed successfully that he wants to rule Anambra? Soludo is the man of the moment, when you look at his achievements in infrastructure, what he is doing in education, the giant strides he is making in the state and the people are happy. Anambra State is bigger than an individual, Anambra people are happy with APGA.’
