Chief of Staff to former Governor Willie Maduaburochukwu Obiano, Chief Primus Odili, has called on Anambra people to continue to support the government of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the state.
Chief Odili, a senatorial aspirant in Anambra North senatorial district in the 2023 general election, made the plea while addressing members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Anambra State Council at the Godwin Ezeemo Secretariat, Awka, on Thursday, October 2, during the monthly Congress of the union.
He urged media practitioners to be fair in their critiques and reportage of the activities of the APGA-led government in the state.
"Anambra is in election season," he said. "Journalists should pay attention to what they put out there as news reports, especially on matters concerning the activities and achievements of the Anambra State government. We should ensure that what we present to the public is factual and reflects the reality on the ground.
"Successive APGA governments in Anambra State have contributed immensely to giving the state a facelift, and we cannot ignore this fact. Journalists help to shape the direction of society, and in doing this, they must give proper accounts of the successes of APGA-led governments so that residents and voters will be well guided ahead of the governorship election."
Chief Odili further noted that APGA has remained the only political party that has consistently performed and resisted corruption in Anambra State.
He recalled that before APGA came to power, some administrations plunged the state into crises, including non-payment of teachers for a whole year, lack of road infrastructure, collapse of public schools, and episodes of political rascality.
"But since the emergence of APGA with Peter Obi, the state heaved a sigh of relief, and transformation began," Odili said. "From Mr. Peter Obi’s Anambra Integrated Development Strategy (ANIDS), through Governor Willie Obiano, and now to Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, the transformation has been continuous. Hundreds of roads were built, schools and hospitals rehabilitated, and governance was repositioned."
He praised Governor Soludo for his ongoing achievements, citing over 800km of road construction, massive investment in security, free education in public schools, rehabilitation of hospitals, and transparency in governance. He warned that replacing APGA with any other political party would drag the state back to “the days of darkness and distress.”
Also speaking at the event, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Anambra State ICT Agency, Mr. Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, highlighted the positive impact of digital connectivity under Governor Soludo’s administration.
According to him, Anambra has emerged as a leader in ICT and digital economy, winning national awards in ICT, while also strengthening transparency, digital skills training, and youth empowerment.
Earlier in his lecture during the NUJ congress, Dr. Azubike Nkala, a former director in the state’s civil service, spoke on the theme “Beyond the Paycheck: Finding Meaning in Retirement Through Self-Improvement and Entrepreneurship – A Memo to Journalists.”
Nkala noted that journalists in Anambra face poor salary structures, absence of pensions and gratuities, and difficult working conditions. He urged them to embrace multiple income streams and capacity building as a safeguard against poverty and hardship in retirement.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the NUJ Anambra State Council, Dr. Emeka Odogwu Emeka, thanked the visitors and advised members to apply the lessons shared at the congress.
The event was attended by dozens of NUJ members, past and present officials of the union, as well as a former Commissioner for Information and Culture in the state, Prof. Chinyere Stella Okunna.