The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdulahi Ganduje, has urged states in the South-East to strive to be connected to the centre through the ruling party at the national level.
He said the party would do everything humanly possible to ensure that Anambra connects to the center in November this year.
Ganduje, who spoke during the inauguration of the state secretariat of APC in Awka, described the Igbo race as the most nationalistic tribe in Nigeria, saying there is need for them to connect to the centre by keying into the APC to properly gain the dividends inherent in the country.
The new office was procured, equipped and furnished by two of its governorship aspirants: Sir Paul Chukwuma and Prof. Obiora Okonkwo.
Ganduje said: “We must be focused, we must have plans, we must have vision and I can see that the party in Anambra is fully aware of that. You have five states, we pray for more states for you(South East), but you must strive to connect to the centre.
“We want to connect you to the centre; we want to plug you to the national grid. Now, politically, you are under rural electrification, you are under generator and this is unacceptable; you need to connect to the national grid.
“You are the most nationalistic people one can find anywhere in Nigeria. Everywhere you go, you must see the Igbo doing one thing or another, and that is what being nationalistic means. Why then do you want to cocoon yourself in one corner?
“We want to take you back to the good old days of Ojukwu when he was pardoned to return to Nigeria in the interest of one Nigeria and the days of Nnamdi Azikiwe. I have resolved to do it and we have seen the vigour in you, the intention and we will do it starting from Anambra.”
Speaking earlier, the state Chairman of the APC, Chief Basil Ejidike, lamented what he called the neglect of loyal party members in Anambra in the appointments by the Federal Government.
The governorship aspirants used the opportunity of the inauguration to show their mobilization strength, as they came with their supporters in large numbers.Chukwuma said: “We are here because we want to take Anambra and connect her to the centre. Today marks the begining of victory for APC in Anambra”.
Okonkwo, on his part, said: “I am happy the party in Anambra has changed. I will lead the best and strongest campaign that will produce an APC governor. If you give me the ticket I will give you the C of O of the Anambra government house.
“We all know the roles that we all played for this political party to be where it is today because everyone can testify that I am my supporters battled and worked for the election of the first set of Senators and members of the Federal House of Representatives under the platform of Action Congress AC and Action Congress of Nigeria ACN.“At the state Assembly level we saw to the emergence of the members of the respective state Assembly seats in the South East and all the members of the leadership of the party both at the Zonal, state and local government areas can attest to that so today we have come to draw the final nail on this bid for our party to get into the government house Awka
“.Nicholas Ukachukwu, also speaking, said: “I am as old as the politics of Anambra state and there is no one that does not know Ukachukwu. I also thank our brother Paul Chukwuma for providing this great office as the headquarters of our party and I urge all of us to support the eventual candidate of our party “ he said.
