Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has called on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South East to use their positions and influence to work in the interest of the generality of the people.
Uzodimma, who stated this at the APC stakeholders meeting in Owerri, the Imo State capital, charged members to recommit themselves and the party to his leadership following his recent appointment as the leader of the APC in the zone.
The governor, after listening to different leaders in APC from the zone, urged the APC faithful to “come together to serve the people of the zone and avoid the pull him down syndrome which is common among politicians.”
He expressed gratitude to the organisers of the zonal stakeholders meeting, describing it as not only strategic but symbolic.
The governor said that he was delighted over the turnout of the Party members to the meeting, saying it “shows new attitude and incremental awareness on the political demands of the zone.”
He commended President Bola Tinubu and the APC national chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, for understanding the South East is a marginalised zone and working with stakeholders to de-marginalise the zone.
The governor said there is only one way to be part of what is happening at the central government is to support Tinubu’s programmes.
Uzodimma commended the new attitude towards integrating the South East into the national political grid, adding “Nigeria is practising partisan democracy, so to win an election and be in position, you must use a Political Party and the Party the South East needs now is All Progressives Congress (APC).”
The governor added, “what the South East requires is the support of the bigger zones and for the stakeholders to achieve that, they have to develop the spirit of togetherness, forgive each other to assure the future of our children and generation yet unborn. This requires us to be our brother’s keeper.”
On the prospects of the APC in the South East, the governor said a Technical Committee will be set up whereby leaders will go round the five states to interface with all party faithful, reconcile everyone and collectively embark on e-registration of old and additional members.
Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, whose message was delivered by the Deputy Governor, Princess Patricia Onyemaechi Obilar, said APC needs focus and unity to achieve de-marginalisation of the zone.
She said APC stakeholders in the South East need to put their houses in order and be their brother’s keeper, assuring that the women are ready to take over.
She added that Ebonyi State is committed to continue to support APC and the leaders in the South East.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, who was also represented, told the audience that President Tinubu, from available data and statistics, has done well with his programmes.
He highlighted the passage of the South East Development Commission Bill as an achievement of South East leaders in the National Assembly and commended the leadership of Uzodimma in the party.
The deputy national chairman (South), Emma Enukwu, who also represented the APC national chairman, Dr. Ganduje, commended the governor of Imo State on his efforts at stabilising APC in the South East and ensuring the zone is integrated into the national political grid.
He said the national chairman has directed that the e-registration of APC members in all the States of the Federation, and that the party should have offices in all the local governments and INEC wards in the country just as the stakeholders should embark on reconciliations for all hands to be on deck to win more States in the future elections.
On his own part, Enukwu expressed his gratitude and that of his National Working Committee members to Governor Uzodimma for all his assistance to the party.
In their message of appreciation, members of the National Assembly through their spokesperson, Senator Osita Izunaso, and Ministers of the South East extraction through their spokesperson, Dr. Nkeiruka Onyejiocha (Minister for Labour and Employment) also expressed their gratitude to the Governor of Imo State for his leadership role in zone.
Izunaso underlined the fact that APC is the leading Party in the South East today with seven Senators out of 15 Senators from the five States of the South East while Onyejiocha, speaking on behalf of the Ministers from the South East, assured that they will not do any anti-Party activities or disappoint the stakeholders expectations.
In their messages the APC chairmen of the five South East States–Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo – expressed confidence in a brighter future for the party in the zone.
The national vice chairman South East, Dr. Ijeomah Arodiogbu in his opening address said that the Party has done well so far under their watch and congratulated Governor Uzodimma for his appointment as the Coordinator of APC in the South East.
He informed that the South East APC has made a lot of successes in the areas of Party discipline and supremacy.
He also thanked the Governor for all his assistance in funding the Party and highlighted that the South East zonal executive office is functioning with an annual operational deficit of N65 million and solicited assistance to off-set the bill.
Arodiogbu noted that the APC has high hopes in the off-season election coming up in Anambra in 2025 and that the zone has concluded arrangement to be part of the electronic registration planned for her members.
He then urged the stakeholders of the zone to remain steadfast in their support of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the APC administration and assured that President Tinubu’s policies are the right thing to do about the Nigerian economy.
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