Ahead of the general elections in 2023, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) said it will take over the remaining states being controlled by the opposition political parties in the South-east region.
For now, two states of Imo and Ebonyi are currently under the APC while APGA governing Anambra, PDP is in charge of Enugu and Abia states.
But speaking with newsmen Thursday in Abuja, the newly elected APC National Vice Chairman for South-east, Dr Ijeomah Arodiogbu has expressed optimism that the party would add more states to it’s kitty in the coming governorship elections.
The APC chieftain assured that he would leave no stone unturned in reconciling aggrieved chieftains of the party in the South-east geopolitical zone.
According to him: “In 2023, we expect election victory in the south East. My job is to deepen the stronghold of the party in the whole of the south East. And I know the stakeholders that recommended me and ensure that I emerged, know that I have the ability and the wherewithal and strategy to deliver more success for APC in the whole of south-east.
“We target at least to take more states. The important thing is that most of the political leaders and opinion leaders in the south East are already in APC. But the problem is that this efforts and kinetic must be put together to yield. This potentials have to be put together to yield movement and build victory for the party. And I have the ability to do so and I have started.
“We will achieve more. If i don’t get more states for APC in South East I will feel personally that I have failed. So, we will get more states. We will take over more. And they are willing to join. Because the PDP governors in those states are not doing well. So, we will bring good candidates and win the remaining states.”
Arodiogbu also justified the use of concensus to select the party leaders in the just concluded national convention of the party arguing it was in the best interest of the party.
“The concensus is in the party constitution. And it is only when we cannot use it that you go for voting. And that is what happened. In some positions, we went for voting. Some aspirants refused to step down despite plea by leaders. I believed the leaders came together and decided on how it will go. And that was how it went.
“The concensus save us alot of rancour. From lots of disunity. From lack of success that our detractors hope will befall the national convention. So, it was a very successful National Convention for the APC. But I will advise other leaders most especially elected ones like the state party Chairmen like zonal Chairmen to reach out to the aggrieved people.
” Like I have called some on phone. And the need for them to come back to the mainstream. Because importantly I will not tolerate any form of distraction that will lead to the failure of the party. I want results.
“The aspirants all step down willingly. Nobody was cajoled or forced to step down. The party promised everybody that stepped down a refund of his or her nomination fees. So, I don’t know why anyone will be willing to go back as to why he stepped down.”
On the clamour for Igbo presidency, he said: “It is a two way thing but it is a party decision. The party will take a democratic route to achieving that. We are not at the bridge yet. The outcome will unfold in the next few days or weeks at the primaries.”
