By Izunna Okafor, Awka
A group, known as the Forum of Labour Party State House of Assembly Candidates, Anambra State chapter has lambasted the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) over comments credited to its factional National Publicity Secretary, one Mazi Ejimofor Opara describing its members as mere disgruntled elements and power mongers with misplaced priorities.
The group wondered how a party with 8 serving lawmakers from Anambra State in the National Assembly, including three Chairmen of various Standing Committees and Deputy Minority Whip could be referred to as bunch of jokers with no clear-cut directions.
In a statement by its Director of Communication, Hon. Chibuzo Udekigbo, the forum challenged APGA’s scribe to publish legislative achievements and empowerment programmes by his party members compared to those of the Labour Party.
It cited the likes of Senator Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central, Senator Tony Nwonye representing Anambra East and West as well as Prof. Oby Lilian Orogbu representing Awka North and South in the House of representatives as members of the party who had recorded landmark achievements since they assumed offices.
The group urged the Governor Chukwuma Soludo-led APGA administration to leave LP alone and focus on tackling insecurity, poor medical and school facilities in the state, as well as desist from destroying goods of petty traders in Awka and Ekwulobia.
The statement reads, “The attention of the Forum of Labour Party 2023 State House of Assembly Candidates have been drawn to a media attack against Labour Party members in Anambra State, by a factional National Publicity Secretary of APGA, one Mazi Ejimofor Opara, who among other provoking statements described the Labour Party faithfuls in Anambra State as mere disgruntled elements and power mongers with misplaced priorities and bunch of jokers with no clear-cut directions as to why they were elected to occupy public offices.
“Ordinarily, we would not have given Mazi Opara the privilege of response, but owing to the general public, we deemed it necessary to seize this opportunity and do a Comparative Assessment Report of elected Labour Party and APGA Legislators:
“It is a fact that at the National Assembly where Labour Party have 8 serving members from Anambra State; 3 are Chairmen of various Standing Committees and Deputy Minority Whip; while APGA got none.
“Academic and Professional profiles of our elected National and State Assemblies members are quite excellent. Among them are Medical doctor, Professor, Lawyers, Engineers, and other Professionals who are performing credibly well in their legislative responsibilities. We challenge Mazi Opara to publish the profile of APGA elected members, both at the State and National Assemblies.
“It is on record that Sen. Tony Nwoye had an unprecedented empowerment program, and 3 State Assembly members of Labour Party, Mazi Paul Obu, Hon. Nigeria Mbachu and Barr. Jude Umennajiego, also, recently empowered their constituents in different categories. Sen. Victor Umeh and Prof. Oby Lilian Orogbu shared bags of rice, as pallative from the Federal Government.
Again, we challenge the factional National Publicity Secretary of APGA to publish the empowerment program(s) done by his party members.
“Sen. Victor Umeh has moved several Motions on the floor of the Senate, which includes his intervention during the demolition of some properties in Igbo dominated areas in Lagos State. Sen. Tony Nwoye, also, has moved several Motions, which includes the rehabilitation of Onitsha-Otuocha-Ayamelum-Adani road. The road has been rehabilitated and being enjoyed by motorists. Hon. Emeka Idu and Hon. Peter ‘MacPee’ Aniekwe jointly moved a Motion for the dualization of Onitsha-Otuocha-Ayamelum-Adani road, which received legislative attention, and Hon. Peter ‘Mac Pee’ Aniekwe just over this weekend, commissioned a borehole at Nando. Hon. Afam Ogene moved a Motion to include some very important roads in Ogbaru in the 2024 budget, which also received legislative attention.
“Prof. Oby Lilian Orogbu has moved a Motion for capturing of UNIZIK staff on IPPIS and payment of their over 2years salaries, and presented 2 petitions on behalf of her constituents. Hon. Uche Okonkwo has renovated 2 schools in Idemmili; namely, Community Primary school, Ugamuma Obosi and Notre Dame high school, Abatete. Hon. Azubuike Udemezue has 2 Motions on road rehabilitations to his name, which is currently being rehabilitated. This to mention but a few, as we challenge the factional National Publicity Secretary of APGA to publish the legislative achievements of APGA elected members.
“Mazi Opara enjoys the idiom “a one-eyed man in the land of the blind is always the king”. If not that he belongs to a State party, how on earth will he become a National Publicity Secretary of a Political party? It is because his party APGA has no Nationwide coverage, by implication, no National activities for Mazi Opara that made a supposed National Publicity Secretary out of desperation and lack of functions, to leave burning National issues and delve into State affairs like he did in the destruction of goods and wares of street traders in Awka, Anambra State.
“We were tempted to take the message and leave the messenger; unfortunately, there is no message to take in Mazi Opara’s Press Release, which is laced with exhibition of inherited and display of his benefactor, Prof. Soludo’s hatred for Labour Party in Anambra State, as was evident in his open letter against the leader and Presidential Candidate of our party before the 2023 General elections.
“It is obvious that Prof. Soludo has entered panic attack, for he is aware that the 2025 Governorship election is around the corner and Labour Party is set to rescue Ndi-Anambra from Governor Soludo’s impoverishment policies.
“In conclusion, we send the errand boy of the APGA-led Government on an errand to his benefactor, the Governor of Anambra, to leave Labour Party alone and focus on tackling the insecurity, poor medical and school facilities in Anambra, and desist from destroying the goods of petty traders in Awka and Ekwulobia, and fighting the Traditional institution, Religious institutions and opposition parties.”
