Anambra 2021: ‘Emeka Ojukwu Jnr is the best candidate for APGA’, says Chief Anthony Chigbo

Strong pillar of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) party ,Chief Anthony Ojemba Chigbo , Ijelle Eziowelle is from Eziowelle Idemmili North LGA, Anambra State, but the Convener/ State Coordinator, Emeka Ojukwu Jnr Solidarity Movement working tirelessly for a APGA Governorship candidate from Anambra South senatorial zone , where Emeka Ojukwu Jnr , son of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu hails from.

Chief Chigbo is the CEO Gallop polls , adjudged as the father of Public opinion in Nigeria since 1989. Gallop polls existed until Ngozi Okonjo-Iwuala set up NOI poll in 2007

In this interview with www.odogwublog.com reporter Covenant Oluchi Ikedinobi , Chief Chigbo explains why Emeka Ojukwu Jnr is one of the best candidates for APGA in 2021 Governorship election in Anambra state, Governor Willie Obiano’s laudable feats in the state and hope for free and credible APGA primaries under Sir Victor Oye. Excerpts:

What’s new about you in politics?

I’m still doing consultation here and there, I’m a full time politician.

I am the convener of Emeka Ojukwu solidarity group in Preparation for Anambra 2021 Governorship Election.

Emeka Ojukwu , is it the late Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu?

No, I’m talking about Emeka Ojukwu Jnr, who was Commissioner for Special Duties under former Governor Peter Obi. He did very well. And having creditably done well and undergone such tutelage under His Excellency former Governor Peter Obi , I think he’s well prepared to take on the leadership of this state.

Moreover, this point in time, in the life of the All Progressives Grand Alliance ( APGA) , we need somebody who will carry all the vision of APGA , possibly spread it in other South East states and I think the shoe perfectly feets Emeka Ojukwu Jnr. Agian, APGA zoned the Governorship candidate to Anambra South senatorial district. And Emeka Ojukwu is from Nnewi . Nnewi is the heartbeat of Anambra south. I’m not writing off old Aguata union, the OAU block, but I think Nnewi as a town has produced so many great men and women with great resources to be considered to produce the next Governor of Anambra State which Emeka Ojukwu is the best among equals. I think Nnewi producing the Governor this time around will not be something that is out of other.

….but, are you still part of APGA?

Yes, I’m a member of All progressives Grand Alliance ( APGA), a full member and I’m a grass root person too.

And you think APGA can do a good primary that will produce the next candidate with credentials?

I’m persuaded to believe that the current National Chairman of APGA Ozonkpu Victor Oye has capacity to conduct a primary that will make other candidates that loose in that primary join hands with whoever wins and go to election. In other words I’m saying that he’s capable of conducting a free and fair primary where a winner emerges and mobilizes support of those that contested with him or her to challenge other political parties in the race and return victorious. We have the capacity. We did it before, we shall do it again.

And you think APGA is a party to reckon with Now?

APGA is a party to be reckoned with in Anambra state. APGA has been in Anambra since 2003 and in spite of the small time that PDP spent there illegally, APGA has been there. And APGA is in the grass root, APGA has permeated the state ,. APGA is well rooted in the state. APGA is a philosophy , APGA is the identity of the Igbo man. So, we’re not pursuing power for power sake, we’re pursuing it for sake of posterity. You see, any other party can decide to do whatever they want. We take APGA as our own, and for something that is our own, we won’t play pranks with our victory. APGA is something to identify ourselves with . So some of us are very passionate and it is that passionate disposition towards APGA that is born out of demand that we need something, we need platform that we can stand on to negotiate with the rest of the country.

Ok, and you think Governor Willie Obiano is doing a good a job in Anambra , despite all the criticism against him?

Governor Willie Obiano like every other governor in the 36 states of the federation is grappling with scarce resources. Scarce resources that are chasing numerous desires of numerous services that people look up to Government to provide. But, comparatively, with the level of resources available to him , he’s doing very well. I want to say that and say it aloud. Most governors are not paying the minimum wage, most governors are owing pensioners, but Anambra is not owing anybody. It’s even daring to the point that he’s taking up an Airport , a cargo Airport. And because he’s taking it up as a challenge, he’s working on that cargo Airport 24/7, and I want to say that the moment the medium flight gets into that airport in 2021 Feb/ March as Governor said and promised, his critics will go to sleep because that cargo airport will open up businesses in Anambra. You don’t need to cargo things from Lagos and then ship it by road to this place, you know the risk of making further expenses along the road. But , the cargo airport will open up the state and it will be a place for doing international business. Cargo can come in from any part of the world. The cargo Airport had the longest run way in Nigeria. There is no Airport including Murtala Mohammed Airport which has the length of run way that this Anambra Airport presently have. He’s doing a four lane way from federal express into the Airport. So I think he’s doing very well and I’m persuaded that Obiano is doing very well given the resources available to him.

But you lied, why will you lie to the world that Obiano is not owing pensioners, when pensioners are crying that they have not been paid?

I did not lie, Obiano is paying pensioners, you can find out by interviewing pensioners, if they say they have not been paid, I stand to be corrected. You can interview pensioners to verify my claims.

Is there any other thing you want to say I did not ask you?

Well, Anambra must build on what they have, Anambra must equally begin to look at politicians who are not willing to go and borrow money and come and throw into election, paradventure they win, paradventure they loose, if they win, there primary objective is to use the money and pay back from where they borrowed it at huge interest . So, I see Emeka Ojukwu, as a young brilliant , well qualified with experience and with name recognition that does not require money. That name recognition will enable Anambra to build on the vision of the father of APGA the late Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu.