…Says local party, incumbency counted against APC in Anambra gubernatorial poll
From: Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said that the exit of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from APC would strengthen the ruling party, contrary to the speculations that it will trigger exodus.
Odigie-Oyegun spoke at the party’s national headquarters, in Abuja, on Tuesday, after receiving an award from the association of former Local Government chairmen and Councilors.
Addressing the association, the ruling party’s boss warned them not to be like the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) which has eroded its credibility by reducing to an endorsement group of one election or the other.
He equally formally lamented the loss of the November 18 Anambra State governorship election blaming it on what he called influence of a local party and incumbency factor.
IN the words of Odigie-Oyegun, “The run-up to 2019 has started and you have come at the right time. I want to believe that with your mission today, you are dedicating yourself to grassroots mobilisation for the APC. It is an act that have been inspired by the Almighty and that you will be faithful not just to that inspiration that brought you and to this party, which like the country is going through hard times. It is dedicated that this mission must truly experience greatness for which the Almighty himself has destined it.
“As a parting shot, I want to say let nobody entertain any fear that the defection of the former vice president is going to lead to any deluge. If anybody wants to defect, the day he will defect will be the day you will bring out your heavy guns not later as the media are speculating that some will still go with him.
“It is not like that. You stand and when they look at your right and left, they will say that this man has done something great. So, don’t ever be afraid that there is going to be any massive defection. As a matter of fact, the contrary will be the case. APC is growing in strength on daily basis.
“I will end by taking the last example of Anambra. We did not win the governorship election but recall that in two and half years ago, we managed to get seven per cent in the presidential election, but today we got up to 30 per cent of the votes.
“Anambra is the most difficult of all the cases because we have a local party whose origin is traced to a local chieftain who is popular and held in esteem in the south east. We also have a sitting governor and we have a candidate who comes from the same local government with the sitting governor.
“The results are not as dismal. What is important is that from seven per cent, we got close to 30 per cent and we are not done yet. Anambra is one of our most difficult states in the South East. APC is growing in strength and anybody who is anybody politically at all, is with the APC today.
“There is no party outside the APC that is truly settled not even the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) still fighting how to get a chairman. We read in the media that money has become bargaining power for votes. So, it is something you take pride in.
“All the screaming is just because the remnants of the PDP have suddenly found their voices. Their screaming is making Nigeria look as if the country has been turned upside down. The country is making steady progress and the APC is growing on a daily basis,” he insisted.
While advising the group, the ruling party boss said: “APC is three and half years old but it does not matter whether you have been councillors 10 years ago so long as you are still active politically. My problem was whether you are APC members currently or PDP or one of the briefcase parties.
“It was a risk worth taking in the atmosphere where because of the incidence of briefcase parties you get people who cross the lines on a daily basis. We saw advertorial by a group called IPAC where they were endorsing the Local Government poll in Akwa-Ibom State.
“So, it is obvious that they have made themselves available for endorsement purposes. I was worried a bit and hope that this group will not go the same way like IPAC and that you will not allow yourself to be used because the day you will start it your credibility is gone.
“I will return your beautiful plaque because I don’t deal with any group that is not principled, that does not have integrity and beliefs as to where the nation is, where you want it to go and that is not ready to work to push this great ship called Nigeria in that direction towards salvation,” he warned.