By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA: The ruling All Progressives Congress APC has announced its decision to set up a committee to probe its failure in last Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra state.
National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun disclosed this Wednesday in Abuja when he formally received Mr Emeka Ojukwu, son of late Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu. consider that we have made a lot of gains inspite of not winning Anambra state. But it is clear if people interpret properly that the APC given the base from which we were starting, given the kind of intense propaganda that goes out there that the South East is against the APC – whether it is religion, ethnic or even historical – we have made some progress. But we are not resting on that. We are immediately setting up a team to study the elections, to look at whatever significant issues it has thrown up, to find ways in which we can improve our performance as we spread into the rest of the South East, basically to tell us what we did not do right in Anambra State which we need to correct as the electoral processes begin in the rest of the South East. We hope it will throw up valuable lessons that will help us perform much better in subsequent elections in the South East”, he said. He said Ojukwu’s entry into the party will be a major asset in the APC’s ongoing drive to mainstream the South East in the national governance and political decision making process in the APC.
Odigie-Oyegun said: “I thank you for choosing the APC, a family that is practical in its political orientation. It is significant that you chose the platform of the final rally at Akwa to make your very significant statement. I noted particularly the interpretation of your illustrious father’s interpretation of joining the NPN and the significance of being part of the Party’s decision making process such that for anybody who seeks to represent a large group, nationality of that nature, it is critical that he seeks to be where decisions that may affect his people are made. I hope the lesson went home, it is a lesson we will continue to propagate, particularly in the south east because we hold the region very dear”. On his part, Mr Ojukwu said his decision to join the APC was driven by his belief that the South East must occupy its rightful place in the national governance and the political decision making process of the country.
“I decided to lead by example. I have been talking about this for a while and I decided it was time to take the step forward. It is a challenge, there are some people that will not be happy about that, but you have to be bold, take a step and let people understand where you are coming from and why you are doing what you are doing.
“APC have been seen in our part of the country as the ‘other’ and I believe we are now showing that the APC is a Party that can contend equally with any other Party in the South East and do just as well. We now know that Igbo people are part of the APC, the APC are part of Igbo and Igbo are valued part of the Nigerian nation. We hit around the 25 per cent mark in terms of votes in the Anambra election which is not bad given where we are coming from. I think in the future, we are going to do a lot better”, he said.
Party stalwarts at the reception included its Deputy National Chairman (South), Engr. Segun Oni; National Vice Chairman (South-East), Hon. Emma Eneukwu; National Auditor, Chief (Dr.) George Moghalu and Chief of Staff to the APC National Chairman, Mr. Edwin Ikhinmwin.
Recall that Ojukwu jnr had earlier made his declaration in Awka at a rally for Tony Nwoye, the APC candidate for the November 18 Anambra governorship election.