ENUGU- NATIONAL Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Odige-Oyegun has said that the Igbo deserve the presidency of Nigeria, going by their industry and history in Nigeria. He also quickly noted that it is only through the platform of the APC that Igbo presidency could be guaranteed.
Oyegun said that the people of the south east are entitled to full participation in the national ruling party, disclosing that most states in the zone are already embracing the party. Oyegun made the remarks in Udi, Enugu state, Saturday, when the immediate past Governor of the state, Sullivan Chime was formerly registered as a member of the party in his Udi/Agbudu ward. Chime’s rally was however an anti-climax with the conspicuous absence of former Senate President Ken Nnamani and former Governor of old Anambra state Senator Jim Nwobodo. The two former senators from Enugu state had initially defected to the APC but failed to show up at the well attended rally.
No excuse was formerly made at the event on reason why both political heavy weights were absent. Nnamani and Nwobodo could not react to messages sent to them asking why they failed to turn up for the event. Other APC leaders in the state that were absent at the rally are former Secretary to the state government, Onyemuche Nnamani, Senator Fide Okoro, Chief Anike Nwoga, among others. An APC stalwart in the state who pleaded for anonymity said that Nnamani and Nwobodo may have been jittery over Chime’s entrant and expressed fears that the state structure of APC may have been handed over to the former governor. The APC national chairman, Oyegun, said that the entrant of Chime into APC has balanced the tripod stand of the party in Nigeria. He also boasted that the Chime’s registration and awareness rally was a semi-final to the complete transformation of Enugu state into APC controlled state, adding that the former governor was already an APC member in spirit before his formal defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Oyegun said: “This is the semi-final in the south east. I will come one more time to bury PDP in the state. “This is by far the greatest of the rallies and I am happy that change has finally come to Enugu state. “Chime has seen the future and has also seen the damage the last administration did to the economy of the state. As a man of performance, he wants to help Nigeria.” In his speech after being handed over broom as a symbol of the party, ex-governor Chime said the door is now open for real registration of APC members in the state. He said: “This is a humbling experience. With the wreckage of our once upon great party PDP, there seems to be no other option. The only place for any active politician now is the APC. The PDP that was dear to us is now dead. “I thought I was coming for its funeral today but the chairman said he has postponed it till his next coming.” He stated that he did not join the APC to contest for any position but for his people’s voices to be heard. Sokoto state Governor, Aminu Tambuwal said that Chime’s entrant into APC was significant particularly now that now that all and sundry are working for the unity of Nigeria. He said that Sokoto state and the APC are determined to work with the south east for a better Nigeria. Among the dignitaries at the well attended rally include Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state, APC national organizing secretary Ostita Izunaso, Chairman of Peace Mass Transit Dr. sam Onyishi, APC governorship aspirant in Anambra state George Moghalu, former speaker of Enugu state House of Assembly Eugune Odoh, other national and state officers of the party and members of APC in the 260 wards of Enugu state.