Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The newly-elected National Vice Chairman, South-East, of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Rev. Augustine Ehiemere, has predicted that the party would re-bounce and take control of the South-East by 2027.
Ehiemere who was immediate-past APGA Chairman, Abia State, made the prediction while fielding questions from newsmen after his emergence at the APGA national convention in Awka, urged Ndigbo to embrace APGA as a platform to bargain for power at the centre.
He said that APGA philosophy was geared towards deepening democracy, rescuing the country from political hijackers and giving the people a sense of belonging.
Ehiemere who described his elevation as reward for hard-work urged the people of South-East to embrace APGA as a platform to negotiate for power at the centre as the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, is doing in Kano.
“My emergence as National Vice Chairman is a reward for hard-working. Since I joined APGA in 2002, I have remained very consistent.”
Ehiemere, however, revealed that the reason APGA performed abysmally in Abia at the just-concluded general election was due to multiple court cases.
He expressed regret that some moles connived with the enemies of democracy to distract and sabotage the party through litigations.
Ehiemere noted that the party could not concentrate on its campaigns due to the unnecessary litigations that only ended few days to the governorship poll.
“It was clear that why we performed abysmally in the 2023 elections was because of mercantile politicians, people who took the party to court, and judgment was given few days before the election.”
He, however, expressed faith that APGA would re-strategise and come out stronger in 2027.
Ehiemere who said he had a successful tenure as the only two-time State Chairman of the party in Abia, noted with delight that he handed over a more robust and united party to a successor, Elder Sunday Onukwubiri.
He, therefore, appealed to aggrieved members to quickly return for reconciliation.
“I appeal to all APGA members who still feel aggrieved to return to the fold and reconcile with the leadership of the party for a better future.”
“Elections and congresses have come and gone. I appeal to all our members to come back let’s build a strong and united party.”
Ehiemere who said he “ran an honest and transparent leadership” enlisted the support of party members for his successor, Onukwubiri.
He said that he never extorted money from any aspirant or candidate, and challenged anyone with contrary evidence to make same public.
“I make bold to say I’m handling over a robust and united party to Onukwubiri. Let’s all support him. He is mature and very experienced in party administration.”
“It took me so much to build this party to become a beautiful bride that it is today, attracting the quality of personalities in it.”
Ehiemere thanked the governorship candidate of the party, Professor Greg Ibe; Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe; Hon. Alex Ikweche; and other party chieftains for their strong support to APGA.
He also commended Gov. Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State for supporting APGA, while thanking the immediate-past national Chairman of the party, Chief Victor Oye, for bequeathing funds to his successor.
