Maduako Igbokwe I Monday, May 22, 2023
AWKA, Anambra – Ahead of the conduct for the state congress of the All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA in Anambra State, sixteen candidates will tomorrow “Tuesday” battle for the post of State Chairman.
Contest for the position which was zoned to Anambra Central Senatorial District commenced with a debate organized by the Anambra Independent Support Group AISG.
During the debate, the aspirants lamented the high rate of defection among members to other political parties.
According to one of the aspirants Bar Ifeatu Obiokoye, the problem of party membership was the over dependency on government appointments. He said that there should be a new way of fine tunning the party’s reward system after election.
“Our party has come of age and after every general elections people expect political appointments but this cannot go round hence the need for the establishment of a welfare scheme through the use of cooperative societies where party faithful would be given the opportunity to execute small scale projects through which the members and the party would be funded” he said.
He also promised to facilitate the return of defected party members back to the party immediately he is elected.
According to him, the effects of the Labour Party movement in the last general election was a pointer to the fact that APGA needs urgent and far reaching plans to retain its position as the third largest political party in the country. Obi-Okoye said that he will create opportunities for every member to grow to his and potential in the party.
“There will be equal opportunity for the Youth, women and elders, we must create platform for equal participations. Under my chairmanship, there will not be barrier to any person’s growth” he said.
He stated that he was the brain behind the secret of Obiano winning 21 over 21 in his second term bid to govern Anambra.
According to him, he is used to local politics and mobilisation, assuring to continue.He described APGA as an interventionist political party,and promised to continue with the approach to provide dividend of democracy to the people.
Obi Okoye said that he will do everything possible to retain the interventionist movement of APGA in the state and beyond.
“We are going to change things in our environment, there is need for us to do things differently to rebrand our party.
APGA must go back and resuscitate its relations with the traditional institutions, traders, market men and women. We must go back to our interventionist approach as a mass movement. I’ am not in the race for a clanish reason, not for Ogidi people but to make the party better for everybody.
“I want to bring better value for the entire Anambra people and the party” he stated.
Another, aspirant Mr Anthony Dunga also promised to give the youth and the women important roles in his leadership.
” I will work hard towards giving women and youths special positions, even at the national level. They are key and critical to party growth and development
APGA has a structure already in existence at the grassroot level. What will make the masses to follow any person is the character and his reach-out to them. I have the good character and the capacity to reach out .
I will restore the glory of the party, by being our brothers keepers . We must work in unity to move the party forward. We must go back to our onyeaghanwanniya mantra” he stated.
He also stated that this is the time to give the position to an Awka North person, noting that since the inception of the party nobody from Awka North has been chairman or deputy chairman.
‘ In every election ,we the Awka North people normally deliver but , none Awka North man has had the opportunity to lead the party. There is need to give us chance. I have the capacity and the vision to move APGA to a higher level” he said.
Speaking earlier the Convener of the debate and Coordinator Anambra Independent Media Support Group AISG Dr Harris Chuma Odili stated that the current political trend has gone beyond an internal affairs of the party but one that demands purposeful leadership that would drive the fortunes of the party to electoral victory.
“You will realize now how exalted the office of Chairman is when you weigh that Anambra state is spiritual, social, economical and political hub of the All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA”
“It is therefore expedient that you command great influence and that is why the Anambra Independent Media Support Group have decided to organize this interactive session or town hall meeting which gives the aspirants the opportunity to share their ambition and aspiration for the party in Anambra state” he said.
Out of the 16 Candidates seven attended the debate and promised to support any of their fellow aspirants that eventually emerges as the winner of the state Congress.
