Anambra 2021: As APC plans to wrestle power from APGA…

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is planning to unseat All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) during the up-coming governorship election in Anambra state. OKECHUKWU ONUEGBU writes on the game plan.

There is no doubt that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has joined the hustle to unseat the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) government in Anambra State come 2021.

APGA had been on power in the state since 2006 which was when the Supreme Court ruled that Mr Peter Obi, candidate of the party actually defeated Dr Chris Ngige of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) earlier pronounced winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2003. Obi, projected the party to relevance through the propaganda that APGA is an Igbo party.

The late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu, who was APGA’s presidential flag bearer on the 2003 general elections was a major booster to the party as well. His name and charisma was used throughout to lure Anambra people to join APGA.

Again, traditional rulers and religious institutions especially the Catholic and the Anglicans and lately Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria/Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU) were all conscripted.

 Schools owned by churches were returned to them even as they benefited from the governor’s monetary inducements, vehicles and other largesse

 The results of this was that APGA penetrated every nooks and crannies of the state. With this, it was easy for Governor Obi to retain his seat for a second term against all forces as

APGA maintained its grip. But in the 2011 general elections, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) sprang surprises as Ngige, its candidate won Anambra Central Senatorial poll with two House of Representatives and six House of Assembly seats across Anambra Central, South and North respectively.

The 30-seat state assembly then had APGA as majority, ACN as strong minority party with few PDP, LP and Accord Party legislators as well. The APGA-led government found favour in the eyes of PDP-led federal government under Dr Goodluck Jonathan.

APGA began to dominate up to an extent that most of ACN lawmakers cross over to it to the extent that the state became APGA and PDP again.

With the alliance with PDP led federal government, APGA defeated PDP and APC to second and third positions in the Anambra 2013 governorship election.

Hon Tony Nwoye was PDP’s candidate while Ngige and Willie Obiano represented APC and APGA, respectively.

In the 2014 Anambra State LG election, APGA further cleared 21 chairmanships and most of the councillor positions while PDP, Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) and LP scaled through at some wards.

When political bigwigs joined APC

In 2014 when Obi handed over to Obiano, APGA had no much running battle with any political party because PDP was in its pocket.

However, as relationship between former Gov Obi and his successor strained, hope rose for APC as some political bigwigs in the state pitched their tents with the party. The movement from PDP and APGA to APC doubled in 2015 following the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Among its new entrants were Arthur Eze, Senator Andy Uba, Hon Tony Nwoye, Senator Margery Okadigbo and Chief Sylvester Okonkwo.

Others were Sir Azuka Okwuosa, Chief Johnbosco Onunkwo, Chief Obinna Uzor, among others. Its state leader, Senator Chris Ngige became a minister of labour and employment, Chief George Moughalu, national auditor and Barr Sharon Ikeazor, national women leader.

With these calibre of people, the political terrain of the party became noticeable on Anambra 2017 gubernatorial poll. About 24 of its members, including old and new political movers, indicated interest to run for the party primary. At the end, Ngige, pulled out of the race.

Perhaps, the emergence of Tony Nwoye as APC flag bearer on 2017 threw the party into flames. Ngige and his supporters were however not in support. Andy Uba was also alleged to have kicked against his selection. Similarly, members of defunct ANPP felt shortchanged since Ngige from ACN was minister, Ikeazor FROM CPC was national women leader and later, director in a federal parastatal. Despite all these, Nwoye pulled through in the election due to several factors.

During the APC stakeholders’ summit

On Friday, July 27 2019, stakeholders of APC in the state took their representatives at national level to cleaners over alleged exclusion from federal government appointments and projects. The event was attended by vice president Yemi Osinbajo, among other notable Anambra sons.

 They took the stage lamenting that President Buhari has denied them opportunities to benefit from N-Power, federal government school feeding programme, social reinvestment and appointments.

To the party acting chairman in the state, Hon Basil Ejidike, Nnebe’s appointment by Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila was an afront and a clear case of ‘monkey dey work, baboon dey chop.’

“We (APC members in Anambra) have no intention to interfere with Mr speaker’s right of discretion on who to appoint to assist him, but we humbly appeal to Your Excellency to urge the speaker to rescind the appointment of Hon Anayo Nnebe who opposes APC destructively and appoint any card carrying member of APC suitable for him.”

 “Sir, it may interest you to know that the federal government feeding programme in Anambra state has been completely hijacked by APGA administration. The cooks, food contractors and other benefits are enjoyed by the opposition APGA members.”

 He also identified lack of unity among party leaders as the major challenge of the party in the state and called on Osinbajo to intervene and broker peace among the leaders.

“We request you to personally intervene with the assistance of Dr Ngige and convene a dialogue session with our leaders in the state to galvanise them to work together for the good of the party. We also request you to ensure that all federal government political appointments due to this state are filled by genuine APC members and supporters and also create a special intervention quota system in the social intervention schemes of the federal government for Anambra state to take care of our party members,” he said.

On his part, Hon Tony Nwoye said, “We have suffered a lot without benefiting anything from our party. But the most important issue is that our followers are suffering and still suffering. Our performance in the last general election was shameful. We need to tell ourselves the truth. We must help our followers to benefit from the party they have been working with all these while.”

Hon Forth Dike, former member of the House of Representatives, asked the vice president to give them chance to win a gubernatorial poll in the state as that was most important thing they need.

“We want to be enjoying the projects you and the federal government are offering not the opposition. We want to ask them what they are doing to get the party win elections in Anambra.

Contributing, the South-east zonal youth leader of the party, Mr Olisa Onyeka, lamented that youths of the party were denied opportunities to serve and demanded for appointments.

“I want to assure you that if we are given opportunities, the youths would reposition the party to win elections in the whole of South-east,” he maintained.

On his part, Hon Ralph Okeke, former deputy governor of the state said, “Our leaders are not working in unity. Loyalty and hard work is not rewarded here. This is why appointment meant for us are given to opposition members. Our members suffer a lot. We have been called names in Anambra since this party was registered. We waste our times and money to reposition it without been compensated.”

The national chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, represented by Chief George Moughalu, thanked the party for calling a roundtable meeting to reposition the party, saying it would help to return the party to glory in the entire region.

Our target is Anambra gov’t house – Osinbajo

Osinbajo, while acknowledging said, “Anambra state APC must move on. I have come to open a fresh chapter in South-east that would benefit all party faithful. Our party performed poorly in the last general election in Anambra state because of disunity. With peace, we will succeed in moving our party to the next level. The next level is to produce a governor in 2021.”

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