Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha has stated that the agitation for a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction could only be realized on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).
Okorocha, who was speaking during the inauguration of the APC South-East Ward Mobilizers and Supporters Club at the Ahiajoku Convention Centre, Owerri in Imo State, at the weekend, maintained that the Igbo were well accommodated in the new platform compared to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), which he accused of relegating the zone to the background.
He said: ” I am highly elated that our people are responding to this clarion call that had to do with our collective destiny and aspiration. It is a clear fact that Ndigbo have been relegated to sixth position in the political equation of our nation not minding the fact that we formed one of the tripods upon which the nation stands.”
The governor said a situation where the Igbo is not the president, vice president, senate president, speaker of the House of Representatives and chairman of the ruling party, gave credence to the fact that they had been relegated to the background by the PDP.
“But my assurance today is that our tears would be wiped away in APC as we have no doubt started well and will definitely finish on a very good note in this new party. Let me state categorically that Igbo presidency, which appeared impossible in PDP would be actualized under the platform of APC. Therefore, I make bold to say that APC is truly an Igbo party and should be embraced by the entire Igbo,” he said.
The governor added that APC had beyond being a political party, metamorphosed into a rallying point for the Igbo, thereby rekindling hope for the much canvassed Igbo unity and possible actualization of the common agenda of the people.
Governor Okorocha further posited that with successful inauguration of the Ward Mobilizers and Supporters Club of APC, the party was prepared to demonstrate its winning strategy in the November 6 Anambra governorship election.
He hinted of his plan to hold crucial talk with Senators Chris Ngige and Annie Okonkwo, the party’s frontline aspirants, in a bid to ensure smooth and peaceful emergence of the party’s governorship candidate ahead of the polls.
Speaking earlier, the Coordinator of the APC South-East Ward Mobilizers, Chula Nwauwa, explained that the mobilizers were people carefully chosen with the enormous capacity to entrench the party at the grassroots and move on the same pace with Governor Rochas Okorocha, who incidentally is the chief mobilizer of the party in the South-East.
According to Hon. Nwauwa, the mobilizers are deeply responsible for converting members of other political parties into the fold of APC towards strengthening its hold at the grassroots to wrestle power from the rival PDP.
Also in his goodwill message, the National vice chairman of APC South East, Dr. Nyerere Anyim, urged Igbos to embrace the party and work for its victory in the forthcoming general elections.
