David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
Leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State have called for the support of the party at the national level to win the 2021 governorship election which come up in November this year.
Leaders of the party spoke in a special stakeholders meeting held in Awka, where speaker after speaker called for funding of the party to help it win the governorship election in the state.
Chairman of the party in the state, Hon Basil Ejidike who delivered a welcome address harped on the challenges of the party, calling for the support of its stakeholders and national leaders.
“A high powered committee of committed elders has been set up to explore avenues of sustaining the party financially. There is no steady source of revenue for the daily activities and sustenance of the party,” he said.
Hon Tony Nwoye, a governorship aspirant of the party in his own address called on the leader of the party in the state to reach out to the party at the national level for support if the election must be fully prosecuted.
“This is a special meeting where we need to tell ourselves the truth. Our leader, Dr Chris Ngige (minister of Labour and Employment) must play the role of a leader. He has to reach out to the party at the national for us to get the resources to discharge the election creditably.
“Let us tell ourselves the truth, we had the least votes in Nigeria for the presidential election and we had no Senate, House of Representatives or House of Assembly candidate who won in 2019 election. If we must grow, we must eschew all the past acrimonies and tell ourselves the truth and chart a course as to how we can win the forthcoming election.”
Also, Paul Chukwuma the immediate past national auditor of the party and Emma Anosike, a former senator representing Anambra North zone reiterated calls on Dr Ngige to speak to the national leadership of the party for them to “water the ground well for the party to be able to function in the forthcoming election.”
Anosike said, “I have never seen a party that is in power at the national level, but when they is election here (Anambra), we are given money from back pocket to prosecute it, but when there is election in other states in other regions of the country, they give money from front pocket. If they do not want us to be a part of the election, they should tell us early enough so we go and rest.”
Reacting to the call for funding, Dr. Ngige praised the members of the state working committee of the party for their efforts.
He called for patience from members of the party, saying that even though the reward system in the party was slow, the leaders are working on resolving issues associated with funding.
“Our (APC) reward system is not commensurate with the efforts you are putting in. It is not only Anambra that is complaining. Some of us have been members of other ruling parties before and we know how things were shared, but APC is not the same, but I urge you to be patient.
“I have heard what the speakers said. My ears are here to listen and we have heard. The government of Buhari has a lot of things for the people. There is a new wave of opinion that things must change.
“We must all work hard to change things. You must also be a good follower. If you are not a good follower, you cannot be a good leader, so it is not only about the leaders of the party, but about the followers too. You have to be patient to reap your reward,” Ngige said.
