National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has said President Bola Tinubu was determined to integrate the southeast region fully into the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Addressing the party faithful at the party national secretariat in Abuja, the former Kano State Governor said the accommodation of the entire southeast zone must begin with the 2025 Anambra state governorship elections.
He said: “Let me announce to you that President Tinubu has approved the blueprint for the political liberation, political emancipation and political demarginalisation of the South East.
“The blueprint will make your voice be heard, louder, wider on the APC platform to be able to negotiate for the political leadership of the country. You could not achieve that because there was no unity among you. We need you to be united for the delivery of the party in Anambra state. The liberation has started in Imo and will continue in Anambra in 2025.”
In his remarks, Imo state governor who is the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Senator Hope Uzodinnma, appealed to the party chieftains from the region to avoid divisive politics.
Speaking specifically on the 2025 Anambra state governorship elections, the Imo state governor admonished the party stakeholders in the southeast state to bury their differences and forge ahead as one united political family.
“I am delighted to acknowledge the moves and new spirit in Anambra state as it concerns our party. It has become very incremental of late. I want to urge our supporters and leaders of our party in Anambra state to learn from the history of the events of the past to be guided by two items.
” First, unity of purpose, be in a position to tolerate each other because anybody bitten by a snake is always afraid of the head of a lizard. We should be able to learn from our past. Anambra is a strategic and critical state in the country that has produced important men and women who have created history for this country. I have never seen in any tradition where the man who is always first should be counted last. We need to rise and take our destiny into our hands.
“I urge all of you brothers and sisters to forget the past, forgive yourselves, unite and represent our people for the interest of the country. There is nothing God cannot do and if that is the case, I invite you to go home and recover our people. I don’t want our zone to go extinct in the national politics. The South East which ordinarily should be the citadel of Nigerian politics is being left behind of late. We should be able to advise and set targets for ourselves and drive our targets to fruition. I am encouraged by the number of men and women I saw here. “There is nobody remaining. We need to show commitment, tolerance, reconcile, love each other and be our brothers and sisters keepers.”
Earlier in his submission, the Chairman of the APC in Anambra State, Basil Ejidike, who described the defection of Senators Ifeanyi Ubah, Uche Ekwunife and Honourable Barrister Mike Ugwa as heartwarming also disclosed that the APC chapter under his leadership in
Anambra State has set up a ” Strategic Membership Drive Committee, with the intent of reaching out to persons with the wherewithal, as well as harnessing the grassroots in order to improve the fortunes of the Party. The Committee is tremendously discharging its duties and responsibilities to the benefit of the Party in Anambra .”
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