Tomorrow, Southeast ÀPC convenes a zonal meeting at Owerri. This is a follow-up to the first of its kind Colloquium held in Nnewi penultimate weekend and hosted by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, CON.
In light of the above, it is imperative to look at a recap of the key messages that came on the front burner at both the Colloquium and the Mega Rally events.
Inspired by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah's entry into the ruling APC, the National Chairman of the party, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, OFR, had personally led a coterie of political leaders from across the country to Anambra State to discuss the issues surrounding the perceived feelings of marginalization in the region.
This is the first time this conversation was brought to this sort of arena where political leaders from the other zones sat together to discuss southeast return and inclusiveness in mainstream national politics. A remarkable indication of President Ahmed Tinubu's body language in extending a hand of fellowship and collaboration with Ndi Igbo in general and Ndi Anambra in particular.
Extracts from the national chairman's speech at the event are pointers that further reinforce the following Igbo adage that goes thus:
"Ochupulu onwe ya na ugbo, asikwana n'ugbo elughi ya."
This is translated as ‘He who removed himself from a vehicle should not turn around to lament the absence of space in the same vehicle.’
According to Alhaji Ganduje,
"Why should Anambra continue to live in isolation, What is the justification for this?”
If there had been superlative performance and outcomes on their isolated platform, one would have said that it is a worthy isolation, but nay!
Even those who governed Anambra State using the APGA platform quickly abandoned the party after their tenure whenever they needed something from the centre.
According to Alhaji Ganduje, this is a vivid case of selfish politics. A few people have kept Anambra in chains for personal reasons.
Continuing, he said that the neighbouring Imo State, which used to be PDP, has now tightly embraced APC. Cross River has also moved to join APC.
Ebonyi State was highly PDP, but it has abandoned that 'umbrella' and received the broom to sweep clean its house.
In his words, “Anambra's refusal to connect with the centre has greatly deprived its people of enormous dividends in terms of infrastructure and other benefits”.
Today, Imo and Ebonyi sons and daughters are appointed as ambassadors and given other lofty portfolios and positions because of their connection to the centre.
But Anambra's failure to transit regional political sentiments has got it stuck and trapped in the mud of self-inflicted limitations and inevitable exclusion.
Speaking further, Alhaji Ganduje quoted someone who defined political miscalculation as continuing to do the same thing the same way and expecting a different result.
Rhetorically, he asked, "For how long shall Anambra continue in sin and hope that grace may abound?"
Some bullet points from the national chairman's speech include the following:
•Anambra has produced some of the best brains and iconic Nigerians and global citizens. The first President of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, hailed from Anambra. The intellectual soldier tactician, Odumegwu Ojukwu, hailed from here.The computer wizard, Philip Emeagwali, comes from here; global acclaimed novelist, Chinua Achebe was from here, retired heavyweight wrestling champion Power Mike, come from here; former common wealth Secretay General Emeka Anyaoku is from this place. How can it remain cut off from the centre like an orphan? No !
• We are to make sure that Anambra is brought to the table at the centre for them to ask whatever they want as a matter of right and not privilege. No more intimidation.
• Anambra is the only place where APGA is in government. The party has refused to grow and has not allowed the state to make concrete progress. You can not continue to live in isolation, especially when you are not making any progress.
• At the dawn of democracy in 1999, Anambra was not the only place that embraced a regional political bloc. The South-West also found shelter in its Yorubaland, under Alliance for Democracy (AD). But as the democratic journey progressed, the Westerners abandoned AD and embraced ACN.
•Our leader, Bola Tinubu, then Lagos governor, embarked on a political rejuvenation transmitted into Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). It was that vehicle he used to liberate other South West states and even made incursion in Edo. That is Bola Tinubu for you. That is political sagacity. That is dynamism, and that same man is the president of Nigeria today as the leader of APC. That same ACN was the pivotal seed that saw the emergence of a new political party, having merged with the CPC, ANPP, and a fraction of APGA and PDP.
•The product of that merger, which is the APC, took on the then giant PDP in 2015 and took down political strength of PDP. That is dynamic politics. But, APGA and its promoters have refused to embrace political dynamism.
• Anambra is strategic to the viability of Nigeria economy. So, how can they be pushed back to the place of a second fiddle. No more relegation!
"No, it won't continue. So, today, *we are gathered here at this epoch sensitisation lecture, as APC marches forward to take over Anambra State*. No more political starvation. And it is time for political salvation!" Alhaji Ganduje concluded.
In his own submission during the mega empowerment rally held the next day at the Ifeanyi Ubah International Stadium, the chairman of the Progressives Governor's Forum and governor of Imo State, Governor Hope Uzodinma, also aligned with the views of the National Chairman of the APC.
"The Party in Vogue now is the APC. Before it was the PDP, and today, it is the APC, and every sensible state is presently keying in to take its seat at the table of discussion. The good news is that Anambra is now lucky to have its own solution right here in Senator Ifeanyi Ubah as clearly endorsed by the multitude that turned out at this stadium," quipped Governor Hope Uzodimma
Indeed, when the righteous is in power, the people rejoice.
Hon. Kamen Chuks O writes from Awka Anambra state