From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
The All Progressives Congress (APC) South East Organizing Secretary, Mr Dozie Ikedife Jr, has reassured that the essence of the Igbo joining the APC is to play national politics without regrets, describing Bola Tinubu as a detribalised President.
Mr Ikedife in an interview, yesterday, said APC members of Igbo extraction took the right decision as they now joined in discussing national politics for good without unnecessarily narrowing themselves to ethnic or regional colouration.
He said the assertion that the Igbo did not vote for President Tinubu in the last presidential election was not totally correct, adding that he did not want to agree to that with a graphic explanation.
“However, we had a sizable number of votes from the South East. Remember, people from the South East have been yearning for a Nigerian President of South East extraction and in the South East we had a strong candidate.
“Then, we the leaders of the APC in the South East zone had to restrategize on what needed to be done. We now came up with the strategy to limit the number of votes coming from the South East for the other political parties.
“We limited the number of votes coming for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the ones coming to the Labour Party (LP). But remember that the APC knew that its main opposition against it clinching the Presidency was the PDP.
“We limited the number of votes coming to the PDP which was successful. But not only did we limit the votes for the PDP, we also limited the number of votes that the LP got.
“In Anambra, for example, we have close to two million registered voters. We held the LP down to 600,000 votes and limited our main opposition, the PDP to 8,000 votes and maybe we got 5,000 votes, thereabout. So, to that extent, I think we are very successful, ” he articulated.
He noted that if not for the APC leaders’ strategy and their efforts that the PDP could have gotten 300,000 or 400,000 votes in Anambra State. He said that could have been very disastrous to the APC.
He was of the opinion that the APC, to that extent, achieved its original goal. He expressed satisfaction that Tinubu at the end of the day had become the President of Nigeria.
He described Tinubu as progressive and liberal leader.
“He understands what is needed in Nigeria, a man who helped to entrench democracy in Nigeria. He fought for the democracy that we enjoy today in Nigeria. He led the fight against the military junta in Nigeria. He fought against the oppressive and suppressive regime in this country.
“He used the court to strengthen democracy in this country. He understands what is needed to be a President. He understands that Nigerians need electricity and other infrastructural development. He understands that Nigerians need housing and he provided housing in Lagos State as a Governor.
“Lagos State has light rail, free trade zone and an enabling environment that has attracted businesses including the recently commissioned refinery that will help stabilize our fuel production and many other things. He empowered many Nigerians as a Governor irrespective of your State of origin. If you say that makes him a liberal politician, I will say yes,” Ikedife said.
On the ongoing search for a Senate President at the National Assembly, he said: “We have a Governor in Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma who has emerged the Chairman of Progressives Governors’ Forum. So, he is the Chairman of the APC Governors.
“And Governor Uzodinma understands politics. We in the South East APC are leaving some of these things at his table as our leader to pave the way for us.
“Senator Orji Uzor Kalu is my friend, a very good man and a seasoned politician who was the former Governor of Abia State now in the Senate for the second time. He is a ranking member of the Senate and has all it takes to be the Senate President. So, I will support him personally.
“Senator Osita Izunaso is a ranking member also in the Senate, a former House member and as well in the Senate for the second time, a seasoned politician and a good man. We are comfortable in the hands of either of them. Both of them are pulling their weight at the floor of the Senate.
“But like I said, at the table where this will be discussed, we have Governor Hope Uzodinma as far as South East APC is concerned,” he concluded.