From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Elders Forum loyal to Chief Basil Ejidike as the Anambra State Chairman of the party has begun to strategise to strengthen the party in the state.
Chairman of the forum Chief Innocent Obi on Tuesday in Awka said members decided to meet for the purposes of unity as the party was going for a congress as soon as national headquarters blew the whistle.
He said the elders had gathered to discuss how everybody would be carried along at the ward, local government and state levels and to be part of the winning team come to the 2023 presidential election.
Chief Obi noted that what was happening in the Anambra State APC should not be seen as having factions in the party. He rather described it as a mere misunderstanding and an issue of interest.
‘We have only one Chairman, Chief Basil Ejidike. Definitely, you have to realign everybody so that together we will be stronger. We don’t have factions, what we have is interest. Your interest may be different from my own interest.
‘All we are working to achieve is to outsmart our opponents outside the party, APC. That is our most important focus, to equip ourselves with all the necessary arsenals to humble our opponents come 2023.
On how the party felt losing the November 6 governorship election in Anambra, the Chairman said: ‘You have to go into our position to know how we feel.
‘Anyway, we didn’t lose any election but circumstances made it to be so.’
Chief Obi at the meeting announced that the elders would pay a condolence visit to one of the leaders of the forum, Chief Ken Emechebe who lost his wife.
Secretary to the forum Hon Harry Okongwu said the essence of the forum was to settle the crisis and make sure that the party is in peace. He added that differences were bound to occur in party politics and at the family level as well.
‘We have advised them (apparently referring to aggrieved members) to come back and let’s get united to go to 2023 elections,’ Okongwu said.
A member of the forum coordinating Anambra South senatorial zone and former member of the state House of Assembly representing Nnewi North Constituency, Hon Joseph C Okeke, said members of the forum were drawn from the twenty-one Local Government Areas of the state.
‘Members of the forum are made up of experienced politicians and others in various fields of human endeavour including ex-Commissioners, ex-State and National Assembly members, ex-Governors and Deputy Governors, academicians and permanent secretaries.
‘The Elders are experienced people and their position in the party is to bring sanity and give advice where necessary,’ Hon Okeke said.
