From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State has been mobilizing support for the candidature of Senator Andy Uba for the November 6th governorship election and called party members to support him to win the election as campaign officially starts today, August 9.
The party however called all the aggrieved aspirants after the June 26 primary election to sheath their sword, embrace peace and support Uba’s candidacy saying that APC remains a united party in the state.
The chairman of APC in the state Chief Basil Ejidike who stated this during a press conference at the party’s secretariat in Awka said that the party has mechanism in resolving differences, stating that no party member or aspirant has left the party as rumoured in some quarters.
“The Anambra state primary election which was held on June 26 this year where we produced a candidate in the person of Senator Andy Uba. We also have a running mate to Uba in the person of Chief Emeka Okafor. You are aware that after that primary election there were some issues, just you have in any election even USA had issues during their last election.
“But what matters in every elections is that ability to resolve what ever issue that comes from it. I’m glad to announce to you that in APC we have certain mechanisms in resolving internal issues and those mechanisms are on going as I’m speaking with you.
“There are rumours that some people have left the party but of course as the chairman of the party, I want to announce to you that as I’m speaking to you now that I have not received any resignation letter from anybody and we can’t be working on rumour or hearsay, we work based in records. So, since I have received any letter of resignation from anybody I cannot authoritatively say that anybody has left the party, that’s the official position” Ejidike stated.
On the Supreme Court judgement in Ondo state over the position of national caretaker chairman of the party, the chairman said that the issue has been clarified where the court affirmed Governor Mai Bala Buni as the chairman caretaker of the party and extraordinary convention planning committee of the party.
Ejidike said that APC has done well in the state where several projects have been completed while other projects were ongoing which made many people to be identifying with the party as beautiful bride, saying it will be hurricane movement to APC in Anambra state in few weeks to come.
He said that the defection of former senator and BoT member of PDP Sen. Joy Emordi and Chief Okey Ezenwa recently was a tip of iceberg of what would be moving to APC soon as two serving senators, some House of Reps and Aseembly members have indicated interest to defect to APC soonest.
Ejidike said that on going party registration and revalidation of membership has recorded a huge success in the state where so far over 500, 000 people have been registered against 200,000 membership in the state before the exercise.
He said that the membership registration exercise was suspended in the state due to governorship primary election of the party which was held on June 26 where a candidate of the party was elected in the person of Senator Andy Uba and a running mate appointed in the person of Chief Emeka Okafor.
The party chairman further stated that the national chairman of the party exempted the state from the ongoing congresses across the country due to forthcoming governorship election and its campaign that would start on August 9 to enable the state party to concentrate to deliver the party’s candidate during the election.
He also said that PDP and APGA have ruled the state to backwardness for the past 20 years, but noted that APC will be coming to transform the state for better, stressing that Anambra state want to remain in the central mainstream politics rather than to remain as an orphan.
Ejidike however, enjoined the party members and people of the state come out en masse to vote for Sen Andy Uba come November 6th this year for the betterment of the state.