Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The governorship candidate of the United Progressive Party (UPP) for the November 18, 2017, Anambra State governorship election, Chief Osita Chidoka, has vowed to pursue the party’s ideology of self-determination and restoration of the Igbo voice in the country.
Chidoka who spoke while receiving the UPP primary certificate of return from the National Chairman, Chief Chekwas Okorie, at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday, said his emergence as the candidate of the party, signals a new beginning for the people and the resistance against the five per cent relegation of the people of the South-east.
The former aviation minister said his candidature marks the end of an ideologically vacuous and imprudent government that holds no hope for the people while kick-starting a new era where the people can now vote for a governor of their choice and not for persons sponsored by godfathers.
Chidoka said: “Today, Anambra State is about to start a new beginning in the pursuit of our ideology as a people; the ideology of the UPP, which is the ideology of hardwork, creativity and the fear of God; the ideology of the restoration of our homeland and the rebuilding of our capacity as a people; the ideology of self determination and right to determine our role in Nigeria, where no man is oppressed.
“Indeed, it is the pursuit of the ideology of reenacting our people’s hopes and aspirations, the desire to be recognised as a free constituent of the country and where they are not relegated to being a mere five per cent in Nigeria.
“Let it be known that the UPP has come to restore the Igbo voice. No more would Anambra State be ruled by an ideologically vacuous and bankrupt party. In 2003, Okorie founded the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) on the idea that all the grievances of Ndigbo would be channelled through a political party to engage the other parts of the country.
“Unfortunately, that dream was betrayed. APGA became an electoral vehicle meant for the election of people whose desires and interests are the maximisation of their personal capacity and not the welfare of the people.â€
He noted: “No more shall Anambra State people for persons who are sponsored by godfathers of people that are not contesting in the election, but whose major intent is to fleece the state and line their pockets and those of their party members and deprive the people,†Chidoka stated.
Speaking while handing Chidoka the certificate of return and INEC nomination form, UPP National Chairman, Okorie said the UPP is the only party that has the full backing of the ordinary people, adding that its victory at the poll has become inevitable.
He urged INEC to ensure a credible poll, using its automated system to directly transmit results from the polling units to its central server to ensure that nothing but the will of the people is directly expressed at the polls, prevails.
