With the entrance of high-calibre politicians from the South-East geo-political zone into its fold, the All Progressives Congress (APC) said the stage is set for it to take over the region in next polls, beginning with the Anambra governorship election scheduled to hold later this year.
The party, rising from its South East Zonal Executive Committee meeting held in Enugu, said the coming of former Abia State governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu; former governor of old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo; former Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani and a host of others, together with its ongoing registration of members, has put it in strong vantage position to, henceforth, sweep the polls in the region.
The party, which stated this in a statement signed by its National Chairman, South East, Emma Eneukwu and released by the South East Zonal Publicity Secretary, Hycienth Ngwu, therefore, advised the sitting governors in the region, who had earlier indicated interest to join its fold, to make hay while the sun shines.
“On the recent comments of some governors of South East states on the issue of defection to the party, the zonal Executive Committee maintained that though the doors of APC are open to all genuine intending members, including the governors, the party would not tolerate any attempt by any governor to keep it in suspense.
“The party is battle ready to win all the forth-coming elections in the zone. Our electoral successes are guaranteed by the people, irrespective of whether any sitting governor joins APC or not,” the party said.
According to the party, the South East zonal executive committee members had pledged to sustain the growth of the party in the zone and to commit it to the enthronement of APC-led governments in Anambra State this year and in Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu states in the 2019 general election.
“There is no gain-saying the fact that the political tide is in APC’s favour in South East. We are sure to win the zone with the new entrants joining forces with the old members like Senator Jim Nwobodo, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume and others. Election is about people and we now have quality members in good number,” it said.
The party also disclosed that its ongoing continuous registration exercise in the South East has recorded huge success as the party has exceeded its projected membership in the zone, calling for the provision of more materials and extension of the time allotted for the exercise.
It also welcomed “all the prominent Igbo politicians who had recently joined the party with their over 600,000 supporters in the zone, particularly Senator Ken Nnamani (former Senate President), Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, Senator Andy Uba, Chief Ifeanyi Uba, Eugene Odo (former Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly), Chief Sam Onyeishi (former PDP governorship aspirant, Enugu State), amongst others.”
The party also advised other prominent politicians from the zone who were still on the edge to cross-over to the party to do so immediately, saying the Igbo are naturally progressives.
It advised members to shun politics of hate, bitterness and division, pointing out that politics is all about people working in mutual inclusiveness in an atmosphere devoid of bigotry.
