*insists he never granted any interviews
The controversy trailing the last week’s entry into the Labour Party (LP) of the Anambra-born oil magnate Dr Ifeanyi Ubah may have taken a new dimension with a member of the Anambra state House of Assembly and top chieftain of the LP, Emeka Anohu has denied an on-line news report that he was averse to the presence of Ubah in the party.
The lawmaker pointed out that contrary to the claim by the publication that it was reason why he stayed away from Ubah’s membership declaration event, he was actually very keen to attend but was out of the state on official assignment then.
Anohu in an interview with journalists yesterday in Awka emphasized that he never spoke to any journalist anywhere on such topic and actually saw Dr Ubah’s presence in the party as a welcome development. He said that as committed party man who belives in the supremacy of the party at all times he sees his entry as a boost to the party’s national rating, leading many of his followers to pick LP’s membership cards. He urges Ubah not to relent in his promise to build the party into a formidable political party that has the interest of the Nigerian masses at heart.
The lawmaker suspects the publication to be the handiwork of political detractors trying to tear the party apart. He described LP as the only cohesive and united party in the country today.
Democracy, according to him thrives on numbers and popularity, the reason why the party’s doors were constantly open for interested new members. He therefore praised the industry of the party’s national exco led by the chairman, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, for their efforts at enthroning internal democracy in the party at all levels nationwide.
Anohu admitted that he enjoys a very warm close working relationship with the state chairman, Sam Oraegbunam and the national leadership of his party. As a result he wondered where the on-line reporters got the junk views that he alleged there were shady deals before Ubah’s membership declaration was brokered. He saw the accusation as absurd.
That it was never in his character to oppose other people’s wishes, including Dr Ubah, pointing out that he has maintained friendly, humble and warm disposition to every citizen which has made the people his strength.
The lawmaker, the only such elected on the platform of the party in the South East geo-political zone said he warmly welcome Ubah into the party. He also wishes Ubah well in the party and expressed his willingness to work closely with him to fulfill and actualize all his political aspiration.
The party chief who represents Ihiala 2 State Constituency and is the Deputy Minority Whip in the state Assembly said he would be happy if for all to come LP bearing in mind the forthcoming council election in the state.
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