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22.07.2014 Nigeria

Set Aside Your Personal Interests And Support A Sellable Candidate—Group Tells Okigwe APC

By Emeka Ahaneku
Set Aside Your Personal Interests And Support A Sellable Candidate—Group Tells Okigwe APC
22.07.2014 LISTEN

A group known as the Okigwe Prosperity Forum has charged the zonal leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to close ranks and put up a united front in support of a popular candidate who can sell the party if it must win the 2015 Okigwe senatorial elections in the state.

The chairman of the group, Hon. Vice Agu said this while calling on APC leaders, especially government appointees from the Okigwe local government area to put their personal interests aside and support a popular candidate for the overall interest of the party at all levels in the state.

According to Hon. Agu, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu's entrance into the 2015 Okigwe senatorial race has given hope and confidence to the entire APC party faithful, adding that Uwajumogu has the masses support and all that is needed to lead the struggle to the victory of the party at all levels in the general elections.

Hon. Agu made this remarks when Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu, a senatorial aspirant paid a consultative visit to the members of Okigwe Prosperity Forum, (OPF) at his country home over the weekend, noting that Uwajumogu's candidacy will deliver the party in the zone.

'I want to thank the Speaker for making us proud as Speaker from Okigwe zone. The developmental achievement which the Speaker, in collaboration with the Governor brought to Okigwe zone is unprecedented. The massive road constructions in the area, women and youth empowerment, urban renewal of Okigwe town, attraction of the State College of Education and a campus of the State Polytechnic, as well as, the holistic free education policy in the state are eloquent testimonies of Mr. Speaker's genuine love for Okigwe people'.

Hon. Vice Agu continued: 'There is a saying that what you are wearing on your wrist, you don't need a mirror to look at it. I think from what we have seen and based on the antecedents of Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu, APC as a party has no reason to be scared of winning the zone in the coming elections'.

He urged APC leaders from Okigwe zone to support Uwajumogu's candidacy as according to him, 'it is not a one or two local government's affair or Uwajumogu that is contesting, rather a contest among the six local governments of the zone in which the winner must produce the highest number of votes. If APC fails, it is the party that failed and the multiplier effect would disastrous. This is what I want all the opposing leaders who are laying claims to a particular zoning arrangement to brainstorm about. Many of us will not understand what is on ground and I pray that God will give us the knowledge to understand', he submitted.

Giving insight on zoning of elective positions in the area, he said that in the year 1978, before the first ever senatorial election in Okigwe zone, the leaders which included, Prof. Echeruo, Former Governor Sam Mbakewe, Nze Philip Nwosu, Chief Benson Maduako, Chief Anamekwe and other stakeholders held a meeting at Mr. 'O.k 2000's' residence in Okigwe local government where Chief EJK Onyewuchi made the proposal that the first senate slot should go to Okigwe local government council, a proposal which an Okigwe man stood up and zoned to Ehime Mbano, after which a conclusion was reached that the seat should rotate to all the remaining local government areas in the zone, except in a situation whereby a particular local government is considered to have performed optimally, that area would be given another chance to further represent the zone.

He emphasized that three local governments in the area, namely; Ehime Mbano, Isiala Mbano and Obowo have had their shots at the senate, while Ihitte-Uboma, Onuimo and Okigwe local governments are yet to represent the zone in the senate. He therefore pointed out that for equity and fair-play, any credible candidate from the three remaining local government areas should be allowed to represent the zone this time.

Hon Agu, further described proponents of the said zoning based on clannish arrangement as ignorant of the provisions of the country's electoral arrangement, as the known arrangements have been based on either, Communities, Wards, LGAs, Federal constituencies and zones, maintaining that zoning favors Ihitte-Uboma.

He advised those he called zoning merchants, to remember that party primaries was not the last resort in the electoral contest, as other candidates who emerges at the primaries of various political parties would slug it out with other aspirants from other political parties in the general elections, hence, the need to produce a strong and sellable candidate that can deliver the party in forth coming elections.

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