*sees evolution of better democratic culture under Buhari
From Chuks Collins, Awka
Loading ...The immediate past national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Chief Victor Umeh has expressed high optimism that a better and enduring democratic culture is in the horizon under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC)federal government.
He pointed out that APGA would have consistently won elections in every part of the country with ease if the hitherto People’s Democratic Party(PDP)-led Federal administration had allowed a level playing ground to exist for all parties and their candidates to operate.
Chief Umeh who is the APGA’s candidate in the yet-to-be conducted Anambra Central senatorial election argued that his party’s candidate couldn’t have been announced winner of the chairmanship election for Gwagwalada Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) if PDP had remained in power and in charge at the centre.
He disclosed that the party (PDP) would have as usual in its manipulation of election results influenced the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) to thwart the results of the Gwagwalada Area council election away from the wishes of the electorates.
The victory of APGA in the Gwagwalada Area Council poll, Umeh stated was a very big political credit to the incumbent APC administration under President Muhammadu Buhari; hoping that the President who was a serial victim of PDP manipulation of election results in several presidential elections he participated in would not follow the wrong steps of the former ruling party in manipulating election results to favour APC.
Umeh stated, “I hope that President Buhari will not allow the repeat of what he suffered in the hands of the PDP in manipulating election results because under his regime APC lost governorship election in Bayelsa and senatorial election in Benue North. I can recall that Buhari contested presidential elections in 2003, 2007 and 2011 before he finally won in 2015. So he has had the bitter experience from the ugly system of PDP and I hope he wouldn’t want to allow the repeat of such ugly records in the processes of electioneering in the country under his watch”
Umeh observed that the ongoing power tussle in Abia state between Dr Uche Ogah and Okezie Ikpeazu who is the authentic person to govern the state as well as other crisis bedeviling the PDP are consequences of all the sins committed against APGA by the former ruling party from 2003 till 2015 especially in the southeast geopolitical zone, lamenting with nostalgia that PDP never allowed people’s votes for APGA to see the light of the day.
Addressing journalists in his Aguluzoigbo countryhome, Anaocha council of Anambra state on a wide range of issues, Chief Umeh said that PDP stifled and emasculated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to manipulate election results in its favour and returned candidates of the party who lost elections as winners, noting that APGA was their major victim for the numbers years the party occupied the seat of power at the centre.
He noted that PDP never allowed APGA take advantage of the massive support it enjoys from the Southeast geopolitical zone in particular and the rest part of the country in general, adding that on a level playing ground APGA would sweep the stakes in the southeast in particular because the electorates are at home with the party. But sadly, the PDP never allowed a level playing ground to exist for APGA to thrive.
The ex- party chairman dismissed what he saw as erroneous impression in some quarters that APGA is an Igbo party, explaining that the third largest political party in Nigeria cannot in any way be narrowed down to a regional or tribal party. Because in his views, “APGA is a national party spread all over the thirty six states of the federation including the FCT and is currently the nation’s third largest political party after the ruling APC and main opposition PDP. So it cannot be an Igbo party.
The fact is that the party has a strong support base in the Southeast because the late Biafra leader and Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu who was a famous Igbo leader was its leader for eight years (2003 – 2011). He influenced the interest of the Igbo in the party and this is normal because naturally people would always toe the part of their leaders”
Taken up on his achievements as the national chairman of APGA for ten years, he said that he succeeded to make APGA the third largest in the country, produced three governors namely Mr Peter Obi in Anambra state, Owelle Rochas Okorocha in Imo state and Chief Willie Obiano in Anambra respectively. And that his regime also produced members of states houses of assembly, National Assembly members into house of representatives and several governorship candidates across the states of the federal federation.
“My joy mostly is that I was able to wrestle Anambra state from the PDP darkness and was able to hold the state firmly for APGA against greedy politicians who were bent on taking it back to darkness, the present administration of governor Willie Obiano was a year and three months when I left as the national chairman and I hope that my successor will consolidate in ensuring that Anambra state remains an APGA state” he added
Gleefully, he expressed joy that he left for his predecessor a very peaceful and criss free APGA by getting the party rid off myriad of litigations noting that he won as many as fifteen court cases as national chairman of APGA all for the well being of the party. He continued, “most interesting is that I wrestled the party from disgruntled elements who never wanted the party to exist or see the light of the day, I won fifteen cases in court and today my successor can attest to the fact that he inherited a peaceful party free from litigations, rancour and bitterness”
On Anambra Central rerun election pending in court, he accused the PDP of making attempt to stop the election saying that party has been making frantic effort to stop the election entirely through legal means of litigation on account that the ninety days provided for the conduct of the election by the Appeal court sitting in Enugu has elapsed. He informed that the party has allegedly filled a motion in Appeal court asking the court to stop the election because the time for the election has elapsed.
The popular politician urged his supporters to remain calm and not listen to what PDP politicians are doing or join issues with the party to avoid being misled because the party does not have their interest in its dealings. He said that the election is certainly going to hold because nobody can stop it assuring that he will fully accord the good people of Anambra Central quality representation even if he goes to the National Assembly and work for only two years.
“The delay of the election does not diminish my desire to give the people quality representation, I am sure that the good people of Anambra central will feel the impact of their senator if i go there and work for two years, i did it during the national conference because I did not join the conference at the right time because of a court case, so I am appealing to them to keep being patience because the election is going to be conducted one day and they will regain their senator in the National Assembly” he maintained
He said that he is contesting the Anambra central election with all his might because he knows that his victory will strengthen APGA in the political system in the country adding “but like i have always said, the election is not a do or die affair because, I am sure that God knows that the people of Anambra Central need a good representative in the senate and I am capable enough to render such representation.
Asked to speak on his political future, he said that his political future exceeds his ambition to go to the senate because his burning passionate desire to serve remains even after he might have served in the senate adding that the passionate desire to serve the people can never wane of die.
