By Abuchi Ifesinachi, Awka
The National Secretary of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Alhaji Sanni Shikanfi, has warned the party aspirants in 2015 elections to prepare to face the grassroots members of the party during the primaries as there will be no anointed candidate.
Alhaji Shikanfi spoke Sunday at Okpoko, a suburb of Onitsha, the Anambra State commercial nerve centre during the commissioning of boreholes completed by Chief Afam Ogene, member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
The national secretary, who eulogised Ogene for the effective representation of the Federal Constituency and APGA in the Lower House, assured that his party will organise free, fair and transparent primaries for those aspiring to contest in the next year’s general election.
He said “there will be no anointed candidate and there will be no imposition of candidates. I am holding brief for the relevant Electoral laws, which has not been amended by the National Assembly, which demands that political parties should organise primaries. W e will organise transparent primaries.”
However, Shikanfi said if not for Electoral Law, that demanded for primaries, he would have asked Ogene to go back to the House of Representatives, because he has done well in his first tenure and has been able to his carry people along.
The APGA secretary said that it was his signature that sent Ogene to the National Assembly in 2011, saying that he was proud that his signature was not afterall in vain.
He commended Ogene for completing the two water projects, which were hitherto abandoned after extensive work has been done in them, saying that water is very essential in the lives of people all over the world.
“Water is life. It is very important in the life of the community. I am proud of Afam Ogene. I am proud of signing the signature that sent him to National Assembly and I will not hesitate to sign again if not for Electoral Law”
In his speech, Ogene debunked the impression being created within that he was new in the party, insisting that he has been part of the struggle for the restoration of the former Governor’s mandate, Mr. Peter Obi after the impeachment and second tenure.
Ogene said that in spite of campaign of calumny against him, he was not afraid or deterred no matter the enormity of opposition, saying that God will always be on his side, after all in 2011, he was told not to come out because he would be assassinated but he defied them.
Enumerating his achievements, Ogene said he put N4 million to complete the Ogboko and Ogbeukwu boreholes, saying that just last week he installed 110 E-learning computers at Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe.
The Chairman of APGA in the State, Chief Mike Kwentoh, lauding Ogene said that to become Vice-chairman, Public Affairs of the House is no mean achievement for first time and from a minority party, saying that the legislator is a credit to the party.
