APGA’s CAMPAIGN STRADDLES OBIANO’s ACHIEVEMENTS AND SOLUDO’s CREDENTIALS
By IfeanyiChukwu Afuba
We are at a loss understanding the bile thrown at the APGA community by a media director of the Anambra APC Governorship Campaign, Arinze Igboeli in The Nation on Sunday, 17 October, 2021.
The offensive piece took extreme liberties by pronouncing the APGA governorship campaign as irresponsible. More specifically, it denounced the APGA campaign for often mudslinging the APC flagbearer, Senator Andy Uba.
“Since Uba’s emergence as the APC’s candidate, the ruling party, APGA has repeatedly unleashed the hounds of propaganda using social media and a number of other mediums in a futile attempt to tar Uba with all sorts of unspeakables rather than campaign on whatever achievements, no matter how minute their eight years revelry yielded Ndi Anambra.”
The court – martial was not over. To rub in the charges, the omniscient script avowed that “such comical reports are usually sanctioned by the top echelon of APGA’s media management” with the objective to “create a pattern of fear within the Anambra electorate about the APC candidate and what the candidate stands for.”
For the above grievous allegations, the APC publicist makes no attempt to furnish the reader with any evidence. He offers nothing, however circumstantial, however remote, linking APGA with the said campaign of calumny. But the label must stick, the abuse tag must hang because it had been declared in self – righteous anger. What rings out clearly in the writer’s script is a sense of frustration with his party’s poor ratings.
If the APC’s candidate and his field lieutenants are looking for the causes of their cold reception by the electorate, they would do well to take a hard look at their journey and accept the home truths therein.
Why would APGA leave it’s mission with Ndi Anambra to trifle with a party and a candidate whose valid participation in the election is the subject of at least two court cases by those the party cleared to contest it’s primaries?
APGA’s dominance of not just Anambra but southeast politics relates to its commitment to the cause of the minorities, the disadvantaged and renegotiation of a new Nigeria. Notably, the party’s push for an additional state in the southeast and rotation of the Presidency among the six geo – political zones were accepted at the 2014 National Conference.
The people of Anambra State need little reminding that standing on this progressive canon, the APGA has especially in the past seven and half years, considerably increased the fortunes of Anambra State. Before their very eyes, the people witnessed restoration of security in the State and nurturing of the economy into the fourth fastest growing in the country. Under the APGA – Obiano administration, Anambra State won the 2019 national msme award. She won the national best teacher award in 2016 and 2020. In 2015, Anambra began export of vegetables, which has now expanded to include yam and cassava.
At APGA campaign rallies, folks excitedly talk about the 16 bridges built by the APGA – Obiano govt including the second longest in the southeast. Social media commentaries acknowledge the first oxygen plant in the southeast; the NYSC permanent orientation camp; the Court of Appeal Division, Awka; all birthed by the present APGA administration. At civic gatherings and social functions, towns and communities take pride in their development projects fully sponsored by the government. And even till this day, Governor Willie Obiano continues to receive commendation for the magnificent international conference centre and airport constructed by his administration without any loan.
Who, cruising on such altitude of public awareness and appreciation, would want to start splashing mud?
To the further admiration of Ndi Anambra, Governor Obiano sought out the best from a circle of competent hands in the person of Professor Chukwuma Soludo to take over from him. The striking thing about Soludo’s candidacy is that non partisan citizens of Anambra State are even more ardent at campaigning for him than many members of APGA. The reason is simple. His glowing credentials precede him. And it’s not just about his track record of academic and public service achievements. He is a man of his roots, at home with both the community and state visions. Soludo was the Chairman, Steering Committee of the May 2018 Ekwueme Square declaration that yielded the southeast restructuring formula.
The APGA has more than enough success stories to campaign with. In a free and fair electoral contest, Andy Uba would be a flyweight for the APGA. Who wants to hurt a fly?
If in reviewing Anambra’s recent history, the APC/Uba find themselves serially indicted by the people for the values – poverty of their politics, they should rather come to terms with that reality.
APGA has been subjected to a barrage of sponsored falsehoods by interests scared of it’s electoral prospects. Since our friends claim the gift of visions, could they please tell the world who planted the disinformations about a Governor and rigging plot and a federal lawmaker’s convoy found with arms in three national newspapers in the past two weeks?
Afuba is a member of the APGA Campaign Media Team.
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