South East politicians, voters in love with APC –Obinna, Imo guber hopeful

By Ndubuise OrjiAt a time the All Progressives Congress (APC) is making tremendous efforts to consolidate and expand its frontiers in the South East geopolitical zone, a chieftain of the party governorship hopeful in Imo State, Chief Charles Obinna, says the APC is !already favoured by Igbo because of the achievements of Imo State governor as well as the efforts of the Federal government to improve the country.While stating that the APC has become a party of choice for politicians and legion of voters in the South East, exemplfied by the victory at elections by Gov Uzodimma and Gov Francis Nwaifuru of Ebonyi State and senators from Imo, Ebonyi and Abia, Chief Obinna is also optimistic that the ruling party, will win more states in the zone in the 2027 general elections. googletag.

cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1718806029429-0'); }); In this interview, the businessman and politician, also spoke on his gubernatorial aspiration and why Owerri zone is best suited to produce the next governor of Imo State.



You are associated with the Patriot, a political movement in Imo State. What is it about?The Patriot is a platform, we are using to support the APC in Imo; to support the central government and to make sure that APC consolidates and delivers quality governance. As you can see what is happening in APC today, the President, the governors, everybody is working very hard to make sure that they give Nigerians good governance.

$(document).ready(function(){(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).

push({})}); In Imo State, the APC is doing its best. You see how infrastructure development is going on in Imo State. Quality roads are being built, a major flyover is being constructed, youths are being empowered and the welfare of the people generally is top priority.

We saw the fixing and dualisation of Owerri-Okigwe road and the Owerri- Orlu road. Now you can see reconstruction of Owerri-Umuahia Road going on. Many other rural and urban roads are being constructed and reconstructed.

Governor Uzodimma is doing a wonderful work in infrastructure. APC is doing well. We want more democratic dividends in Nigeria centrally and in Imo State.

That is why The Patriots is supporting these great works, sensitising and mobilising people to rally round APC.There is this notion that APC is not strong in the South East. From your experience in Imo State, how will you react to such conclusion?The APC is solidly rooted in South East.

The party has two governors out of five. The party has six senators in South East out of 15. The party has many members of the House of Representatives and state Houses of Assembly.

A political party with such credential in South East cannot be said not to be accepted.The APC will get more foothold in the coming elections. We are working hard to ensure this.

APC is very strong in Imo State. You can see that Senator Hope Uzodimma has won two terms as governor on the platform of the APC in Imo State and he is a respected party chieftain nationally. APC is getting stronger in the South East.

Watch out what would happen in the next elections.The perception is that the APC is anti-Igbo and that it does not accommodate the Igbos as such. How would you reconcile this with your earlier position.

$(document).ready(function(){(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).

push({})}); APC is not anti-Igbo. APC as a party loves Igbo people and Igbo are in love with APC . Many people have decamped from other parties to APC.

Imo state is the hub of APC now in the South East. And between now and next election, we will win other states.I must say that the Igbo are getting their dues in APC.

We have Ministers in important ministries. Gov Uzodimma is chairman of Progressives Governors Forum. An Igboman is Minister of Works.

An Igboman is Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives. It will keep getting better.In the runup to the next general elections, there is a planned coalition of opposition politicians to displace the APC.

And one of the supposedly arrow head of that coalition is Peter Obi, who is believed to have a very strong support base in the South East. Do you think the APC stand a chance in the next election, especially in the zone?Let me assure you that in the next election, APC will lead. Some of the people leading the opposition and coalition were in government before at the centre and South East supported them and their political parties, but what did they fo for the South East? They cannot pretend now to love South East when they did not do anything for the geopolitical zone.

Look at the second Niger Bridge. They did not do it. It was an APC government that did it.

On Peter Obi, I will say that he has done his own part in the last election. He did well. The APC has noticed his strengths and has made a strong in-road in South East since then.

This time, based on what the president has done and will do in the remaining two years, it will be APC all the way. President has done a tremendous job. There are many projects coming up.

APC has greater goodwill in South East now than before. It will win smoothly, Peter Obi or no Peter Obi.What is the motivation for you to want to be governor of Imo State? $(document).

ready(function(){(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({})}); I have passion for socio-economic development.

As an individual, I have contributed my quota in this regard. I can do more in government. Under Governor Uzodimma, Imo has seen a lot of development.

We will continue his good works, after him, in infrastructure upgrade, rural development, urban renewal, youths and women empowerment, agriculture and making our state a business destination and hub.You talk about doing things towards development as an individual. Can you tell us some of these?Even though we cannot be blowing our trumpet, I must say that we have used our resources to help our people.

We have done a lot of charity. Recently, we paid the registration fee for more than 3, 000 Imo students to write JAMB examination this year. This is because of our recognition of the impirtance of university education.

We have offered scholarships. We have trained youths to be self-reliant. We have offered jobs to many in our businesses.

We will continue to do more.There is the Imo state charter of Equity, which ensures that the governorship seat goes round all recognised zones. However, there are claims and counter-claims to the governorship seat after Governor Uzodimma by Owerri and Okigwe zones.

What’s your take?It is not Okigwe that will produce the next governor after Senator Uzodimma. It is the turn of Owerri zone. I am from Owerri zone.

Our zone has not produced a governor since 1999. There is the belief that the cancellation of Chief Emeka Ihedioha’s election means that his months in office do not count. By virtue of that and because of equity and justice, Owerri zone should naturally produce the next governor after Distinguished Senator Uzodimma.

I am offering myself to be that Owerri zone man who will become the next governor. By the grace of God and the goodwill of our people, we hope that this will come to pass. Other zones will support Owerri zone to produce next governor.

They know we deserve it this time. $(document).ready(function(){(adsbygoogle = window.

adsbygoogle || []).push({})}); What is your message to Imo people?My message to Imo people is to continue to support the incumbent governor of Imo State and the federal government. Our youths should desist from crime and malpractice but to engage in meaningful things.

Our politicians should be progressive and avoud the bitter politics that imprde development.Our state, Imo, is positioned to be greater. We are those who will make it so.

Imo state will be a place everybody in Nigeria will be looking up to go and reside and do business. It is our duty as Imo i indigenes to make this happen in the next couple of years. We should support government.

We should work for greater security. We should lift Imo higher.The post South East politicians, voters in love with APC –Obinna, Imo guber hopeful appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.

.