*Backs Maxi Okwu And Chike Obidigbo
The last may not have been heard about the multifarious reasons behind the
opposition of key members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA to the
emergence of Dr. Willie Obianor and Dr. Chike Obidigbo as two opposing flag
bearers for the party in the Nov 16, 2013 governorship election in Anambra
State.
This mindset of the leaders of Thought from the Anambra North Senatorial zone
was revealed to journalists in an interview yesterday in Awka by the former
Secretary to the Ankabra state government, Ichie Okwuchukwu Ezeaku. He pointed
out that the leaders of the area are not happy with how Dr. Obianor was
“foisted on the party and the zone”.
Ezeaku told journalists that he and other leaders played key role in the
emergence of Dr Chike Obidigbo as the flagbearer of APGA under the leadership
of Chief Maxi Okwu because he came out tops after series of screening processes
by different groups from the area.
According to the high chief and elder statesman, “I participated in this
primary that produced Dr Obidigbo to show my anger against what Gov Peter Obi
and his group did earlier where they presented an unknown stooge of his as
flagbearer of the party. I am protesting against what they did. I therefore
endorse what happened here in the emergence of the popular candidate, Dr
Obidigbo.
“Gov Obi had in his own wisdom said it was the turn of the north zone to
produce the next governor and we all welcomed and embraced the idea. We
therefore set up different committees to screen the aspirants. The Olu n’adagbe
Clan, women group, professionals, traditional rulers and other established
groups from the zone screened all the groups and Dr. Obidigbo came tops having
been adjudged the best.
“However, in the midst of all these we had sought the governor’s opinion
whether he has a candidate in mind but he said no. We just found out he hid
Obianor because he suspected and knew he would not make the stringent screening
requirements”, Ezeaku emphasized.
On whether he did not consider the issue of double candidates for most of the
parties in the state as a prelude to political crisis, The former SSG said it
would not breed any problem if only “gov Obi simply advises his surrogate
to throw in the towel and return back to wherever he was coming from, because
all the processes that threw him were flawed.”
Another pleader chief Gaius Eze said it was shocking that a man who was not
known in any ward in the party in the state could emerge overnight and clinch
the ticket just like that. Hear him, “this is APGA where we have sequence
and everyone has history. Here is not PDP where all manner of things happen and
any person could be foisted on the state by a godfather and godmother.”
Maxi Okwu said he would not comment further because the leadership issue was already
in court.
