From Chidi Nnadi, Enugu and David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi

All Progressives Congress (APC) has boasted that  it would win the Anambra State governorship election scheduled to hold in November.

The APC Vice Chairman, South-East, Emma Eneukwu, who dropped this hint at the declaration of former Gombe State governor, Group Captain Joe Orji (retd.) for APC in Enugu at the weekend, said their party now has the needed political strength to take over Anambra State.

“We are much prepared, when you look at it, all the strong men of the PDP have all moved to the APC and the number in APC now is a clear testimony that there is strength in APC. What we are thinking of now is how to manage this large number of entrants and the number of governorship aspirants that will emerge, to make sure it is properly managed; we are very certain that victory will be ours in Anambra. 

Meanwhile, the  question of who becomes flag bearer of the APC for the Anambra State November governorship election has created apprehension among the party hierarchy in the state as over 15 aspirants are said to have indicated interest to run on the party’s platform.

But former member representing Nnewi North Constituency in Anambra State House of Assembly and an APC stalwart in the state, J.C. Okeke has described the influx of governorship aspirants from other political parties into the APC in the state as an indication that the APC is now a party to beat in Nigeria.

Okeke allayed the fear that the APC ticket for the election would be highjacked by the the highest bidder which he said some political observers had started speculating.

Eneukwu also said the Igbo are joining the APC in droves as they have seen the wisdom in doing so through the performance of the party in just two years.

“The Igbo are very sensible people, there is this adage that if you want to ask somebody to help you buy something from the market, you don’t give your money to the person who is already ruturning from the market, but the person‎ who is going to the market. 

“The party (PDP) we took over from is returning from the market and therefore cannot buy anything for anybody, APC is the party that is going to the market and has the ability to buy commodities for the people. And APC has shown that it has good intentions for our people.

“In the last 16 years you have seen the state of the Enugu-Onitsha road, very dilapidated, our Enugu-Port Harcourt road; the second Niger Bridge had appeared in the budget of the country every year and nothing was done on it in the last 16 years and the government then was peopled by people from the South, but within this two years you can see that work has started in Enugu-Onitsha road, Enugu-Port Harcour road, second Niger Bridge and other roads across the South-East, these are practical and tangible things the people can see, it is not politics.

“So the Igbo have seen this and said if all of us come together the lots of the Igbo man will improve a great deal, that is why they are coming into the party; they have seen that the APC has come to alleviate the sufferings of the average Igbo man in Nigeria.‎”

The zonal vice chairman said that the party leadership sent him to receive “our big brother and the former governor of Gombe State, who is a political caterpillar and guru as far as politics is concerned who declared for APC today.”

Speaking to newsmen after his declaration, Group Captain Orji‎ said that he was encouraged to dump the PDP for APC because of the good programmes of the latter and the sincerity of the President Muhhamadu Buhari administration in implementing those programmes.

He also said that he was fed up with the impunity in his former party where a few imposed decisions on the majority, saying that he has come to reason together with his old allies now in the APC.

Also speaking, the Enugu State APC Chairman, Dr Ben Nwoye said that they are using the declaration of Group Captain Orji to make their last call to those who still intend to join their party to do so now.

“This is the last call for everyone who is disenchanted with the PDP to join us. People said we are doing it in the Enugu North and Enugu East that Enugu West is a no-go area, it’s not true, we are doing it today and we area announcing that to everybody that this is the last chance, it’s either you join today or stay in the sinking ship and get drowned,” he said.

November guber/SD

November guber: We’ll surely take over Anambra – APC

…As former Gombe Gov joins party in Enugu

From Chidi Nnadi, Enugu and David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it would win the Anambra State governorship election scheduled to hold in November.

The APC Vice Chairman, South-East, Emma Eneukwu, who dropped this hint at the declaration of former Gombe State governor, Group Captain Joe Orji (retd) for APC in Enugu at the weekend, said their party now has the needed political strength to take over Anambra State.

“We are much prepared, when you look at it, all the strong men of the PDP have all moved to the APC and the number in APC now is a clear testimony that there is strength in APC. What we are thinking of now is how to manage this large number of entrants and the number of governorship aspirants that will emerge, to make sure it is properly managed; we are very certain that victory will be ours in Anambra.

“The Anambra people have seen that there is no way they will belong to a state party (APGA). It’s not even a regional party, you have to be in a party where you will be able to connect to the national government so as to improve the welfare of the people of Anambra State. The Anambra people are so wise and they have reasoned beyond local politics. So, APGA is non-existent and PDP is not there, so, I can assure you we are going to emerge victorious in that election in November.”

Meanwhile, the  question of who becomes flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Anambra State November 18, 2017 governorship election has created apprehension among the party hierarchy in the state as over 15 aspirants are said to have indicated interest to run under APC platform.

But former member representing Nnewi North Constituency in Anambra State House of Assembly and an APC stalwart in the state, J.C. Okeke has described the influx of the governorship aspirants from other political parties into the APC for this year’s gubernatorial election in Anambra as an indication that the APC is now a party to beat in Nigeria.

Okeke allayed the fear that the APC ticket for the election would be highjacked by the the highest bidder which he said some political observers had started speculating.

Eneukwu also said the Igbo are joining the APC in droves as they have seen the wisdom in doing so through the performance of the party in just two years.

“The Igbo are very sensible people, there is this adage that if you want to ask somebody to help you buy something from the market, you don’t give your money to the person who is already ruturning from the market, but the person‎ who is going to the market.

“The party (PDP) we took over from is returning from the market and therefore cannot buy anything for anybody, APC is the party that is going to the market and has the ability to buy commodities for the people. And APC has shown that it has good intentions for our people.

“In the last 16 years you have seen the state of the Enugu-Onitsha road, very dilapidated, our Enugu-Port Harcourt road; the second Niger Bridge had appeared in the budget of the country every year and nothing was done on it in the last 16 years and the government then was peopled by people from the South, but within this two years you can see that work has started in Enugu-Onitsha road, Enugu-Port Harcour road, second Niger Bridge and other roads across the South-East, these are practical and tangible things the people can see, it is not politics.

“So the Igbo have seen this and said if all of us come together the lots of the Igbo man will improve a great deal, that is why they are coming into the party; they have seen that the APC has come to alleviate the sufferings of the average Igbo man in Nigeria.‎”

The zonal vice chairman said that the party leadership sent him to receive “our big brother and the former governor of Gombe State, who is a political caterpillar and guru as far as politics is concerned who declared for APC today.”

Speaking to newsmen after his declaration, Group Captain Orji‎ said that he was encouraged to dump the PDP for APC because of the good programmes of the latter and the sincerity of the President Muhhamadu Buhari administration in implementing those programmes.

He also said that he was fed up with the impunity in his former party where a few imposed decisions on the majority, saying that he has come to reason together with his old allies now in the APC.

Also speaking, the Enugu State APC Chairman, Dr Ben Nwoye said that they are using the declaration of Group Captain Orji to make their last call to those who still intend to join their party to do so now.

“This is the last call for everyone who is disenchanted with the PDP to join us. People said we are doing it in the Enugu North and Enugu East that Enugu West is a no-go area, it’s not true, we are doing it today and we area announcing that to everybody that this is the last chance, it’s either you join today or stay in the sinking ship and get drowned,” he said.