From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Oye yesterday said only the Igbo have the panacea to Nigeria’s economic and political woes and until they take the centre stage, the nation would continue to run round in circle.
Oye, who spoke in his Amawbia, Anambra State home when he played host to stakeholders of APGA from Orumba North Local Government of the state led by their leader, Chief Okwudili Ezewonkonkwo, noted that Nigeria had not been able to move forward because Ndigbo who gave it life at the inception were relegated to the background.
He emphatically stated that Nigeria can not move forward until an Igboman becomes the president of the country because according to him, “Igbo, by their nature are not vindictive, not petty and are very enterprising.”
The APGA boss further said the Igbo were the major sustainers of the nation’s economy through their many investments spread throughout Nigeria and beyond, noting that the country would collapse if Igbo were removed.
Noting that Ndigbo have the competent personalities that could effectively pilot the affairs of the country, Oye said, “we have the people, we have what it takes, out of the 2,017 millionaires in the country, 2,000 are Igbo.”
He regretted the actions of past leaders of the party in not fielding presidential candidates in the past general elections but assured that the party would no longer play the ostrich in Nigeria’s general elections as it would from 2019 field presidential candidate.
“It is APGA that can give Nigeria the opportunity of Igbo ingenuity in leadership, Will not play the ostrich again during general elections,” he said adding that the party was now formidable with plethora of competent candidates that could stir the country on a part of posterity and cohesion.
Oye, however, called on Igbos to think home in everything they do as charity must of necessity begin at home, just as he noted that the South-East and South-South have need for deliberate move or measures to develop the economy of their areas.
He disclosed that his administration was building a global party which would be a pride of all Igbos in particular and all Nigerians in general, noting that APGA now has 35 branches abroad.
Stressing that the party was recording unprecedented successes because it had been handed over to God from whom all power and authority derive, the National Chairman called on all members of the party to be ready to make sacrifices so as to actualize their dream political party.
He used the occasion to proclaim, Chief Ezenwaonkonkwo as the leader of the party in Orumba North local government area of Anambra state.
Earlier, the party Vice chairman, Anambra South Senatorial zone, Chief Titus Anigbogu stressed the need to empower the aspirants and candidates of the party who lost out in elections because, according to him they were the ones sustaining the party at the grassroots.
Speaking after his affirmation as leader of Orumba North, Chief Ezenwaokonkwo that the people for their confidence in him and promised to carry everybody along in his constituency.
Others who spoke were the Deputy Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, two Commissioners, leaders of traders in the state and stalwarts of the party in the council area.