By Juliana Nwachukwu
In their bid to ensure massive mobilization in the upcoming Gubernatorial election in the state, the All Progressive Grand Alliance ( APGA) National Chairman, Barr. Sly Ezeokenwa, Mayor of Onitsha South LGA, Hon. Emeka Orji, Commissioner for Special Duties, Hon. Mrs Beverly Nkemdiche, Onitsha South APGA Chairman, Chief Uche Umeh go grassroots for massive mobilization of voters.
The wards tour, which commenced last week by the Mayor of the area, who has vowed to leave no stone unturned in re-electing Governor Soludo, have continued to yield positive results as residence troop out in their numbers to welcome the Mayor and his entourage.
Speaking during the ward tour at Bridgehead wards 1 and 11, Ezeokenwa paid glowing tribute to two coordinators of the two wards, Chief John Uzochukwu (Triple Chief) and Mr Afam Ezechukwu for their tremendous efforts in ensuring that the party won in previous elections.
He emphasized on the importance of re-electing the governor in the upcoming election and also informed all registered voters to go for the collection of their Permanent Voter’s Cards, (PVCs) which the distribution have commenced by INEC Officials.
He said: “It is in our own interest that Soludo returned for a second term in office, it is not in his interest, he has being the governor of governors, the governor of Central bank, he is a consultant scholar and a consultant in so many international organizations in the world.
“Not minding his height, but chose to come down and rule us, I don’t think we suppose to sleep until Soludo rules for eight years.”
Ezeokenwa charged the leader of the legislative Council, Hon Mrs Regina Udeogalanya, and their wards chairmen, colleagues to go for house to house campaign, in different churches, nearby markets/shops, adding that he is expecting nothing less than 3,000 votes from the two wards.
The Party National Chairman pledged to give #500.000 each to the two wards if they win election and another #500.000 if they have up to 1,500 votes, pointing out that there is one greatest challenge facing APGA unlike in other previous elections.
“This is the only election where we have just one candidate, Anambra as a whole has Soludo as a consensus candidate but the problem now is that because the result has been announced before the election, people will on the election day be in their houses saying, Soludo has won, why should I go and waste my time”. He pointed out that if everybody stay back in their houses on the election day and be saying, Soludo has won, then who will vote for him?
He appealed to each and everyone to come out and vote, saying “The target we want to set in Anambra for the first time, we want to see if Anambra State can give one candidate 1 million votes and Onitsha South has a share of 70 to 100 percent from that 1 million votes, we need every single vote,” Ezeokenwa posited.
In his speech, Hon Orji recounted Governor Soludo’s massive transformation in the area with infrastructural developments within three years and wondered how the area will be in the next four years after the governor’s re-election. He enjoined constituents to go to their respective polling booths on the election day, caste their votes and stay behind for the counting of their votes.
Contributing, the Chairman of the Stakeholders in Onitsha South Local Government, Chief Linus Ezenkwu (Nkwubuego), posited that the governor will win the coming gubernatorial election, adding that Soludo massively transformed Onitsha South, Okpoko, Ogbaru LG and Uga Boys, Aguata LG, his alma mater. He urged everyone to participate fully in the upcoming election of November 8.
Those who spoke at the ward tour were the member Civil Service Commission, Hon. Mrs Anthonia Tabansi; PG Housing Estate, Mr Obiora Egbuna; Campaign DG, Chief Mofus Ezeoba; Campaign Coordinators Bridgehead 1 and 11, Mr Afam Ezechukwu and Hon Maria Okoye; and two ward Councilors of Bridgehead I and 2, Hon Mrs Regina Udeogalanya (Leader), Benedeth Amaegwu.
Juliana is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
