By Okey Maduforo Awka
The commissioning of the newly rented Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress APC at Awka Anambra state by it’s National Chairman Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje became an anti climax when the gubernatorial aspirants of the party got enmeshed in a dirty war of words in the presence of the National Chairman.
The aspirants in their respective speeches however paid glowing tribute to one of the aspirants Sir Paul Chukwuma who rented the massive building complex and also rented all the offices in the twenty one local government areas of Anambra state.
The war of words started when the aspirants began to speak while their supporters in a show of solidarity intermittently tried without end to disrupt the speeches of the opponents of their preferred aspirants.
But for the intervention of security operatives who tried to calm the fraying nerves of the supporters of the aspirants it would have ultimately ended up in a free for all fight among supporters.
The aspirants even made matters worse when they openly threw tantrums at each other and throwing caution to the wind before Alhaji Abdulahi Ganduje and members of the National Working Committee NWC and National Executive Committee NEC of the party present at the occasion.
According to Chief John Bosco Onunkwo;
“We were here when the party was the Action Congress AC and remained in the party until it became the Action Congress of Nigeria ACN and while then we were suffering we were abused , we were treated as out cast and abused with all sorts of names but people like us remained in the party ”
“Today the labors of the pioneers of the party has made the party the best in the state and we are happy that people are now in the party even though some of them were not there when the foundation was laid but I wish to assure you our National Chairman that you will be here to witness the swearing in of Chief John Bosco Onunkwo as the next governor of Anambra state ” he said .
Former member of the Federal House of Representatives Chief Chukwuma Umeoji countered ;
“We thank God for this our new office which was made possible by our brother and fellow aspirant Sir Paul Chukwuma who paid for the rent of this building ”
“Today we have gathered and this gathering is for our party to seize power in the November gubernatorial election in Anambra state ”
Our National Chairman sir , this event today is a great foundation that has been laid for the APC in Anambra state ahead of the governorship election in Anambra state and having laid that foundation it is set for Hon Chukwuma Umeoji to be sworn in as the governor of Anambra state come March next year” he noted.
Former gubernatorial aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party PDP and CEO United Airline Prof Obiora Okonkwo contended the two aspirants when he narrated his contributions to the success of the party from on set ;
“We all know the roles that we all played for this political party to be where it is today because everyone can testify that I am my supporters battled and worked for the election of the first set of Senators and members of the Federal House of Representatives under the platform of Action Congress AC and Action Congress of Nigeria ACN ”
*At the state Assembly level we saw to the emergence of the members of the respective state Assembly seats in the South East and all the members of the leadership of the party both at the Zonal, state and local government areas can attest to that so today we have come to draw the final nail on this bid for our party to get into the government house Awka ” he stated.
While Okonkwo was making his speech a surging crowd took over the air space carrying the posters of Umeoji, Nicholas Ukachukwu, Obiora Okonkwo and Chukwuma chanting suggestive songs while pushing each other in the midst of the large crowd and pulling down of posters and flexes which would have resulted to a full scale fight among their supporters but for the timely intervention of security operatives who were battle ready to put them under check.
Nicholas Ukachukwu at the peak of the commotion contended that “I am as old as the politics of Anambra state and there is no one that do not know Ukachukwu but today we have come to receive our National Chairman and this is a great day and I also thank our brother Paul Chukwuma for providing this great office as the headquarters of or party and I urge all of us to support the eventual candidate of our party ” he said.
Sir Paul Chukwuma who rented and furnished the party headquarters contended that;
“You cannot come and take over a house built by another person I heard someone said we should build our own party structure as our headquarters and I ask , why do you need to build a new one when we already have one that is functional and well furnished?
“All that you have to do is to contribute to the party and you know that because I have laid this foundation and have given the party the strength that the party has become attractive to them and others to come in and I thank God for using me as that instrument for the new Anambra APC and when you build the party it is fair and just that you benefit from it and rip from where you have sown ‘ he noted .
Addressing the party the National Chairman of APC Alhaji Abdulahi Ganduje urged the party members to remain focused in order to actualize their respective ambitions in the coming election.
“We should remain focused and we as a party would provide the logistics and strategies for the coming election and the APC would change the negative narratives about our party ”
“We have come to take over from the ruling government of APGA in Anambra state and what we have come to do today is primarily to commission the party Secraitarate that was donated by one of our own Sir Paul Chukwuma and we commend him fir that ”
Speaking earlier the state Chairman of the APC Chief Basil Ejidike lamented what he called the neglect of loyal party members in Anambra state in the appointments by the federal government adding that even the welfare programs of the President Ahmed Bola Tinubu administration are being hijacked by the government of the All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA in the state urging the National Chairman to intervene and ensure inclusiveness of party members in all Federal appointments .
