Though in crisis, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) at the weekend sent out a signal that it might not have died after all as believed by many, when most of its members forgot their differences and gathered at the Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square for a rally in remembrance of the one year burial of the leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.
The remembrance rally, which was also attended by the Nigerian Ambassador to Spain and widow of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Bianca Ojukwu, also witnessed the declaration of former Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) House of Representatives candidate for Anaocha, Njikoka and Dunukofia Federal Constituency, Chief Dozie Nwankwo, for APGA.
At the well attended rally, which saw representatives from other states, especially Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi in attendance, the party evoked the spirit of Ojukwu to see it through and reaffirmed that it would, on no account, allow the vision and labour of the late Ojukwu to die, stressing that he remained their leader forever.
Speaking at the rally, Governor Peter Obi said APGA remained APGA and had not merged with any party, urging the people to stand firm as the party would use the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State to show that it was very much alive as, according to him, APGA would repeat its usual victory over other parties.
He said, “you should not panic. The APGA government in this state has done very well and has shown that we are not thieves. We have worked very hard to win the heart of the people and they are with us. We beat them in 2003, we beat them in 2007, beat them in 2010 and this time we will beat them with “siki six” and we are unstoppable.”
He urged other states to ensure that APGA became alive in their states like it was in Anambra and announced the donation of two buses each to Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu from Anambra State APGA.
In her speech at the rally, which also provided a platform for governorship aspirants to showcase themselves, Ambassador Ojukwu thanked members of the party for their contributions in giving her late husband and leader of the party a befitting burial and for organising the remembrance rally in his honour.
She, however, regretted the crisis in the party, saying, “if we say all is well, it is not true. It is not this kind of rescue mission that we need. One or two people cannot bundle us like a gift and dash out, no. We want to insist here that we are still APGA and nobody can take away our cock from INEC, nobody can remove APGA’s name or flag from INEC.”
Also speaking, former minister of information, Prof. Dora Akunyili, noted that with what was happening at the rally, the late Dim Ojukwu would be smiling in his grave, adding that what was happening was an eloquent testimony that Ojukwu’s dreams would not die.
Others who spoke include the Speaker, Anambra State House of Assembly, Chief Frank Ogbuewu, from Ebonyi; Ambassador Obi Nwosu; Deputy Governor of Anambra State and Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr. Emeka Sibeudu, the Interim Chairman, Chief Maxi Okwu, Dr. Tim Menakaya and wife of Anambra State governor, Mrs. Margret Obi.
In his declaration speech, Nwankwo said he decided to join his kits and kin in APGA, which he said was a party that would take the Igbos to the promised land.
Source: The Sun
No comments:
Post a Comment