By Akinwale Kasali
Former Minister of Labour and Productivity under former President Muhammadu Buhari, Chris Ngige, has told the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in Anambra State to be prepared as the All Progressives Congress, APC, will take over power in the State at the next Governorship Election.
Speaking from his home in Alor, Idemili South Local Government Area, Anambra during the distribution of palliatives to party members, persons with disabilities, and the elderly on Saturday, he admitted that APC has two factions in the State but said the division would not stop the party from winning the 2025 governorship election as aggrieved members would be pacified before the election.
His words: “Of course, there is APC 1 and APC 2 in the State. I will not deny that. I am both the father and face of APC in Anambra. I am certain that some newcomers joined us since 2021.
“Because the party is like a Church, which you do not stop people from entering, you do not stop people from entering the party to look for salvation or to support the government in power.
“But the challenge is that the new entrants do not want to reckon with old members who have laboured for the party.
“The old members laboured for the party from the time we were in the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to the Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) to the Action Congress (AC) to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and finally birthed as APC.”
According to him, these are facts that are undeniable and palpable. But in politics, you disagree to agree, and if you do not agree, you bear the consequences. We did not agree in the 2021 election, and the repercussions were clear.
“But it will be remedied this time. The party leadership, both at the governmental level and at the party level, is composed of mature politicians who are versed in the intrigues,” he said.
He debunked claim that former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was a failure.
He stressed that under Buhari’s administration the Second Niger Bridge was completed. He, also, pointed out the school feeding programmes, and Enugu Airport, among others, as some of the projects carried out by the administration.
He explained that his faction remains the authentic APC in Anambra, and insisted there was no crisis in the party.
He said, “It is not true that the Buhari administration was a failure. I was part of the government and the administration completed a lot of projects including the Second Niger Bridge, school feeding programme and numerous railways across the country.
“There is APC one and two in Anambra State. I won’t deny that fact. I am the father of APC here, I am the face of APC in Anambra State and I know for certain that we have newcomers who have been coming since the year 2021.
“… and because the party is like a church, you don’t stop people from entering a church to seek salvation, so also you can’t stop people from entering a party to support government in power.
“We allow everybody but there is a segregation already because the new members don’t want to reckon with the old members who have laboured for the party from the time we were SDP to ACD, AC to ACN and then finally liberated as APC when we collapsed with NNPP and CPC. These are facts, and I don’t like denying things are facts.”
