The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, on Monday asked Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State to start preparing to hand over to an incoming APC government in 2017.
Ngige, who spoke at a press conference in Awka, the Anambra State capital, said the APC would contest the governorship election in the state fully and effectively. He said the only thing that would save Obiano in that election was to join the APC.
He said if he failed to do so, the APC would sweep Obiano and his All Progressives Grand Alliance into the abyss.
The minister said, “We are going to contest that election fully, effectively, with all the resources at our disposal. And I can tell you without any fear of contradiction that Anambra will be an APC state.”
Ngige, who said he would not contest the 2017 governorship election of the state because of his national engagement, said he would work to ensure the success and victory of his party in the election.
He said nobody should be deceived that the APC had not begun any form of campaign for the purpose of the election.
He said, “I have a PhD in Anambra politics. I will elaborate this with two examples. In 2010, I vied for the governorship of Anambra State, which took place in February. We were then in AC and we did not make any noise in the state until four to five months to that election. But we were quietly building our structures and putting things in the right places.
“The good thing is that many people are showing enthusiasm to become members of the APC. The door is also open for the incumbent governor. There are four factions in APGA now and out of these, he belongs to one faction and that faction cannot deliver the governorship for him.
“I have told him that and I did not mince words. Though he has not requested to join the APC, we are telling him that he is welcome to our fold because that will be his only saviour.”
Reacting via the telephone, the Senior Special Assistant to Obiano on Media and Publicity, Mr. James Eze, said Ngige was daydreaming.
He said, “Those who are not guided by history will continue to stumble on the same stone. the APC has no stronghold in Anambra State. It has no structure and party loyalty.
“The APC does not exist in Anambra State. It will take Ngige donkey’s years to plant the APC in Anambra State. So Ngige’s effort is comparable to someone who wants to plant flowers in the Sahara desert. It’s an exercise in futility,” Obiano’s aide stated.