The House of Representatives Member, who was officially recognised as the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, by the Independent National Electoral Commission on Friday, July 16, 2021 Chukwuma Umeoji, has commended the national leader and Board of Trustees chairman of the party, Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano; acting national chairman Jude Okeke and the entire caretaker committee of APGA.
Umeoji, who belongs to the Chief Jude Okeke’s faction of APGA, stated this in the text of a speech he delivered at a news conference he addressed in Abuja and made available to press men on Saturday, July 17, 2021.
Umeoji extended an olive branch to a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Charles Soludo, who also aspired to the Governorship ticket under the party.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on Friday excluded Soludo from the list of APGA candidates but recognised Umeoji as the candidate of the party
Umeoji said, it’s a victory for APGA, Anambra and the younger generation. There was no victor, no vanquished in the contest for the ticket.
He said; “The past weeks had been of intense struggle for our great party, APGA, but with the publication by INEC affirming myself, Hon. Chukwuma Umeoji and Professor Lillian Orogbu as Governorship and Deputy Governorship candidates for the November Gubernatorial election, I wish to announce that the will of thousands of APGA faithful have prevailed and this is an end to all litigations.
“This is indeed a victory for APGA, victory for nd Anambra, victory for the younger generation and those unborn, a victory that we all have been yearning for.
“We have by this declaration of INEC, reaffirmed our unity of purpose; The “can do it” spirit, reiterated our faith in democracy; and fully returned power back to the people.
“For me, there is NO VICTOR and NO VANQUISHED, rather a victory to all members of APGA and entire Anambra electorates who are already waiting to re-elect APGA for another milestone in governance of the state come November 6.
“In this context, I wish to declare that the victory is for us all and for the sustenance of our unique internal democracy and party.
“It was a full display of the APGA creed, Onye Aghana Nwanne ya; we must now come together to be our brothers and sisters keepers and protect the legacy of our founding fathers and supreme leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.
“I extend a hand followership to my brothers and sisters who contested the election and joined the marathon litigation; this is our project and we must come together for the interest of APGA first.”
