By Chikaodi Chukwuleta

“Anambra’s refusal to connect with the centre has denied the people of benefit and great infrastructure. Anambra has failed to transit and it is trapped. If you are not at the table, nobody will speak for you and that is the situation with Anambra since 1999. Anambra is the only state being ruled by the All Progressives Grand Alliance and the party has refused to grow.”

This is part of a statement made by the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress( APC), Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, at a colloquium themed, ‘De-marginalisation of South-East Zone and Integration Into National Politics’, hosted on Friday, by the Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District, Chief Ifeanyi Ubah.

 Expressing his support for Senator Ifeanyi Ubah to become the next governor of Anambra State, Ganduje  said that the incumbent Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo was in a wrong party( APGA).

He said Anambra was not making the desired progress under the leadership of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) since 2006, adding that APGA leadership in the state for over 18 years under Peter Obi, Willie Obiano and presently, Prof Chukwuma Soludo stunted the growth of the state.

“We are most grateful to participate in this dialogue that affects the South-East region. The Ndigbo are an ingredient of national integration because they are mostly travelled across the country.

“Anambra is a strategic state in the South-East, but it is not making the progress that a state is expected to make because it is not connected to the central government and that is the missing link and it is not benefiting the state. From former Governors Peter Obi, Willie Obiano and now Prof. Chukwuma Soludo.

“Governors are now using their connection with the central to better their state. Why should Anambra continue to live in isolation? What is the benefit for this? Even those who governed Anambra State quickly abandoned the party after they have governed the state. This is the height of selfishness,” he said.

The APC Chairman further stated that”it’s is time for political celebration and we are hopeful that APC will take over Anambra through Senator Ifeanyi Ubah. Anambra is the heartbeat of the South-East political zone and it is time for it to join the centre party for it to grow. We are to make sure that Anambra connects to the center. No more intimidation. Anambra is strategic to the Nigerian economy and it must connect to the centre.”

In his remarks, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma advised the South-East to key into the national integration of the APC.

According to him, the colloquium was intended to stimulate the political party in the South-East and use it to better the region.

“It is a thing of joy that the national leadership of the APC has acknowledged that the South-East is being marginalised. Having diagnosed this, the question is who is this doctor that will prescribe the medicine to adopt, I think the national leader of the party is here to do that.

“We must identify national integration, national cohesion, and national unity so that we can have a pan- Nigerian project. The South-East is yearning for a united Nigeria where equity and justice are the yardstick, and it means we must be in the room where decisions are taken”.

The keynote speaker of the colloquium and the Vice-Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof. Charles Esimone, who spoke on the theme, said lack of appreciation and outright denial of the rights of the South East access into mainstream politics have continued because the region has failed to do the needful.