Anambra commissioner emerges new APGA national chair

A serving Anambra State Commissioner for Special Duties in Chukwuma Soludo’s administration, Sylvester Ezeokenwa, has emerged new the National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

In an election for the position, Ezeokenwa, who was one-time National Legal Advise of the party, defeated his rivals to succeed Dr. Victor Oye, who has held forth for the past eight years in controversial circumstances.

In the election, which held in Awka, the state capital, yesterday, the lawyer defeated former member of the House of Representatives for Orumba North and South Federal Constituency, Ben Nwankwo, former state Chairman of the party, Norbert Obi, and immediate past state Secretary of APGA and Commissioner for Petroleum, Tony Ifeanya.

Apart from the national chairmanship position, APGA also elected 31 members of the National Working Committee through a voice vote.

While handing over, Oye noted that his leadership has bequeath to the party a unique National Secretariat in Abuja and a five-storey edifice as the South East Regional Secretariat of the party, stressing that APGA remains the only political party with a permanent secretariat in Abuja. He also revealed that he bequeathed the sum of N30 million to the party.

In his acceptance speech, the new National Chairman, appreciated governor Soludo, whose faith in disruptive change, he observed, has produced him as the youngest National Chairman of a major political party in Nigeria.

Ezeokenwa said: “I pledge that we will take APGA to its main owners- peasant farmers, artisans, professionals and others. We would embark on membership drive, and will move the party from where it is today to a higher pedestal.”

In his remarks, Soludo said: “We are a party that believes in partnership. Because we want to see outcomes, we will partner with those who want to move Nigeria forward.

“We will continue in the policy of partnering with government in power. Elections are over and governance has begun in earnest. We congratulate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“The same election, which some people rejected, produced senators and House of Representatives members on the same day. I thank INEC for being able to conduct the election. Many governors, who ran for Senate, lost elections. Some could not install their preferred successors. This has never been heard in Nigeria.

“Our party is going to be led by a youth. We are sure it will be moved to a new height. We call on those who left APGA to return. Our tent is bigger and can contain all. APGA is the movement rooted in ideology and has a base. We have no faction in the party, and it remains indivisible and strong,”