‘APC Will Form The  Next Government In Anambra’

‘APC Will Form The Next Government In Anambra’

Chief Basil Ejidike is the Acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State.
In this Interview with NWANOSIKE ONU, he speaks on the push for power shift in the state in 2021 and the Igbo’s quest for the presidency in 2023.

How feasible is Igbo Presidency in 2023?

Of course, for us in All the Progressive Congress (APC), we have always said that equity is the only thing that will save all. We have always said that whoever goes to equity must come with clean hands. I believe as a political party, the Igbo people should be considered this time around. But, it is what you put in a system, you gain at the end of the day from the system. You cannot expect to reap where you did not sow. That is why we have been impressing upon our brothers in the Southeast to appreciate the need to be in the mainstream. For me, we did not actually perform so well as far as the APC is concerned in the last election. What we need to achieve is to engage our brothers from other zones to appreciate the need for us to be considered this time around. We should be able to dialogue with them.
On the issues of Igbo man becoming president, I suggest that whoever goes to equity must come with clean hands. As a political party, the igbo must present evidence to make their case and claims and which they don’t have. Judging from what we have, I don’t think we have much to present as far as the APC is concerned. Recalled before the last general election,the Ohaneze Ndi Igbo went out of its way to toe the line of one political party, even when we have other political parties in the contest. Its leadership decided on their own to single out one party to support. Look at our brothers from Southsouth and southwest, the kind of politics they play, even when they preferred a particular candidate and party, they did not throw away the other parties.

Tell me any state in the Southeast that did secure a reasonable votes in the last election for APC. Nobody puts all his eggs in one basket in politics.

Unfortunately, we have been making that mistake over and over and it is working against us and we keep on doing it. For me, the only way out is to engage our brothers from other zones and dialogue with them to achieve our dreams and aspirations. It is no longer something we say. It is definite because we have nothing on ground to present and stand on. We have not done well and I expect we engage others, appeal and persuade them on why they should consider Ndi Igbo. I believe in my opinion that it is time for the igbo man to become president of this country.

Have Igbo not fared better under the Buhari administration?

During the time of Goodluck Jonathan, Igbo man was the secretary of the federation, igboman was deputy senate president, deputy speaker, Igbo man was chief of army staff and Igbo lady was in charge of the economic team of the country and all the rest of them and yet they did not attract a single major infrastructural development to the zone. Under them, Enugu–Onitsha expressway, Oba-Nnewi-Aguata – ideato were completely abandoned and became impassable.
During that time, they were talking about second Niger bridge in terms of private –public partnership, two lanes but today it is three lanes and construction is seriously on going there, this is happening under President Muhammadu Buhari government. Between that time, when ndi igbo were occupying key positions in government and today they are saying igbo are not occupying key positions, the difference is clear in terms of infrastructural development in the zone. This present government is far better when compared to when the Igbomen were occupying positions under PDP.

Then, why the cry of marginalisation from Southeast?

This government has done wonderfully well for Southeast, even without their support during the last elections. Let’s start from the school feeding programme where our children are given food in the schools on a daily basis. The amount involved in the project in Anambra is enormous. Many people are engaged as cooks, traders and you know it is a chain business. This kind thing had never happened before in the state. You talk of trader Moni that was launched few months ago, people of lower income are giving money to start and improve their businesses with no interest. It is an innovation that has never been witnessed in the country before and also in the state. You talk about the quality construction of work going on along Enugu–Onitsha expressway, the road is not just for the eastern but for the entire federation. You talk about Port-Harcourt–Enugu expressway and you talk about Oba-Nnewi and Uga federal road, my dear brother, the positives outweigh the negatives. Before now these roads were impassable.

These constructions are being done to last for a very long time and not construction that will last for a few years, go and check the thickness of the constructions. Again, you talk of the completion and commission of Zik’s Mausoleum in Onitsha, even when Jonathan decided to adopt the name of the great son of the country Zik. One would thought he would complete the project soonest to honour the name he adopted, but he could not .It was under Buhari that it was completed and commissioned personally by him. He came to Onitsha personally to commission it as a mark of his respect for Zik and the importance of the project. Are you talking about the second Niger bridge that had always been earmarked but today we are talking about ‘I marked project’ and and it’s completion in record time. Are you talking about Nsugbe College of education Anambra state that has been converted to university status by the federal government?

Tell me any project in Anambra State or the whole of Southeast that was initiated and completed by the PDP government in 16 years in power. The Southeast has benefited much from the present government, even when they refused to support the government. You can imagine what would have accrued to the zones when we decide to give the government full support.

The Vice president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, declared the intention of your party to win Anambra 2021…

APC is not mincing words towards that direction, not because the Vice president came and said it. The party leadership under my watch has started the process already. The APGA government at agu Awka is already bidding it’s time. The essence of the round table by my party a few weeks ago was to announce to that party that the time is up. Anambra people no longer need one room political party, but the party at the center. The stakeholders of APC have come together to say enough is enough and that it is time to move the state to the Next level. Remember what happened during the last elections, if not for the in house problems, APC would have been in government by now in Anambra. I pity my friends in PDP because, it’s not going to be business as usual. We don’t believe in noise making but APC na “talk na do.” 2021 is almost around the corner, let’s wait and see what it will be like.

So, you are not afraid of APGA or PDP?

As far as my party is concerned, the two parties you mentioned are now paperweights. APC will do everything possible to make sure it takes over the state in the next election. If you look at the composition of the party in the state, we have all it takes to make a breakthrough. We know our problems and that is why we are trying to solve them. Identification of one’s problems means solving the problems and there is no how you will identify your problems and remain with the same problem.

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What are your problems?

The problem was lack of unity among the stakeholders in the state. But today, we are working together. We shall be able to carry everybody along. We are determined this time to be united and make more successes in the state. We know that APGA as party died with the death of chief Emeka Ojukwu and was buried by the exit of Mr. Peter obi from the party. What we have as of APGA today is caricature of it and its shadow, which we shall deal with in the coming election. PDP is not even a problem to us, you know we were in PDP before, there is nothing they will come up with we will not know. The only thing we need now in Anambra is the unity of stakeholders.

How many people have indicated interest in the governorship election in APC?

We are not going to disclose names for now, but be rest assured a lot. APC is a big party. Everybody wants to join. In fact, as we discuss now, calls of other political eggheads keep coming to join from PDP, APGA and other political parties in the state, including those outside Anambra. People are tired of APGA and their fake promises. So, there is a need for change in the state and that change is the Next level.