By Joy Odor
The Governorship Aspirants under the All Progressive Congress (APC) for 2025 Anambra election schedule for Saturday 8th November, Sir Paul Chukwuma has charged other Aspirants for the forthcoming primaries on the 20th of March to 10th April to join forces with him in taking the reign of cleaning up and giving Anambra back to the people.
Sir Paul Chukwuma gave the charge shortly after he underwent a
successfully screening by the Party in preparation for the forthcoming indirect primaries for all Aspirants.
Sir Chukwuma who was the first to be screened by the National Executive Council (NEC) affirmed that the decision of the party to go for indirect primaries is a welcome development.
According to him, he has a good working relationship with all Aspirants, noting that when he emerged the candidate of the party, he would be more than happy to work with all his colleagues for them to take Anambra back to Ndi Anambra.
“But, having said that we have a very good working relationship and pretty much sure that when I emerge the candidate of the party, my colleagues in struggle will be more than happy to work with me for us to take Anambra and give it back to Ndi Anambra” he ended.
“All the aspirants are talking to me because I’m the oldest member of the party and I also need to guide them and draw their attention to the discipline and culture of the party. So, in fairness to them, they have been consulting me, they have been talking to me and we have a very good relationship as colleagues.
“I’m pretty much convinced that each and everyone of us is qualified to lead the state but you will agree with me as journalists that look at my resume’, I’m the most qualified to lead Anambra APC to Government House.
“I happened to be the first to undergo this process and I can tell you that it is a routine process of the party to make sure that the aspirants are fit and proper persons to hold the office of the governor in Anambra state and it was recalled that a former member of the National Working Committee, a foundation member of this party and I was well prepared for this and it went very well and I am happy to say that we are ready for the election in line with the party’s programmes and I’m hopeful that at the end of the day I will be elected by our party delegates to fly the flag and I am quite convinced by the special grace of God, APC will take the reign of power in Anambra state with me as the candidate of the party and eventually the governor of Anambra state.
“As a human I feel great that we as a political party has a very commendable policy to allow those who feel that the programmes of the party, are willing to identify with the programmes of the party.
“It doesn’t matter when you join the party, what’s important is to have the discipline to carry on with the activities as a member of the party and to our brothers who joined the party recently, I welcome them, I’m glad, I created a platform for this to happen, I should be happy. When I was creating that platform, cleaning the party, trying to make the party a beautiful bridge, of course I would be deceiving myself if I thought that people were not going to leverage on that to join the party.
“The outcome of what we are seeing today is a product of so many years of hard work by myself and a number of progressives that are with me in this journey. So I’m happy and the party has its constitution, its programmes, what is important is you always know that the election process is a democratic process and we should allow anybody who feels he is qualified to contest but at the end of the day, this is a party primaries, our party members are more than excited to have me as the candidate of the party and our brothers that have joined us, of course will be more than happy to join hands with me in taking rein of cleaning up Anambra state and giving Anambra back to Anambra.
“The party is supreme, whatever decision the party makes, members of the party are bound to follow. Like I said, I’m ready for the primaries, I’m ready for the general elections.
“The decision of the party to go for indirect primaries is a welcome development. I’m very comfortable with it because at the end of the day it is the party members that will vote and being with these party members from the start of this party, you should know that I should be smiling as a matter of fact.
“So, I’m very happy that the party has taken that decision and prepared for both direct and indirect, I’m prepared for the election neither ways, I’m prepared for consensus, I’m prepared for any mode the party decides because I know that I have worked hard for the party and our party people are men and women of conscience and they would recognise the sacrifice and commitment to the party and the fact that I’m very qualified to lead Anambra. Based on that, I have no fear that I will emerge victorious and become the candidate of the party” he said.
Recall that earlier, a 7-member APC Screening Committee for the Anambra State Governorship aspirants, chaired by former Governor of Katsina state, HE. Ibrahim Shehu Shema was inaugurated by the National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, CON, on Friday at the Party’s National Secretariat.
At the inauguration, the National Organizing Secretary, HE. Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu, expressed confidence that the committee will conduct a thorough and transparent screening process.
The Screening/Appeal Committees is supported by a secretariat led by the Director of Election Matters, Tasi’u Mohammed, and the Director of Organizing, Alh. Ahmed Wambai, to facilitate the smooth operation of the exercise.
The seven governorship aspirants being screened are Messrs Chukwuma Umeoji, Obiora Okonkwo, Nicholas Ukachukwu, Paul Chukwuma, Onunkwo Obinna, Valentine Ozigbo, and Edozie Madu.
