ABIA: I have come to rejig, sanitise party, new APGA Boss, Egwu assures
*Says I don’t wish Otti’s Government to failq

By Charity Uwakwe

The newly elected chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Abia State Chapter, Hon. Chief Emmanuel Egwu, has reiterated his commitment towards sanitising and tweaking the party in the state.

It could be recalled that Egwu had, emerged winner of the State Congress which duly monitored by the INEC and security agents, held recently at the party’s Secretariat, in Umuahia, the State’s capital.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with famousrepprters.com, at his office, the new party boss, who prided in his outstanding qualities as a servant- leader, described himself as the people’s servant”.

Speaking, he said: I’ve not come to APGA to answer state party Chairman probably because I am looking for an office; rather I’ve come to rejig and sanitize the party in the state”, he said.

Asked what process that produced him as the chairman, he said:
“A very clear and transparent process; a well supervised Congress, I had all the stakeholders in place, well monitored, duly constituted state excos”.

Outlining his plans for the party, he pointed out
“I have just been elected and I beat my chest, I can tell you, I’m going to revive APGA. PDP is out of the question in Abia politics because the peole are tired, Abians are tired of PDP, APC is a no no. Let’s¹ assume Labour will have their four year tenure, the only option, the only credible alternative is going to be APGA. So, I’ll be expecting influx of people into the party. People will be coming into APGA, because that’s the only party that can give them the alternative stand in Abia state”.

He used the medium to congratulate Dr. Alex Otti on his recent inauguration and assumption of office, as the fifth democratically elected Governor of the State.

On his anticipations and possible working relationship with the party in power, as envisioned, Egwu maintained that the APGA would, alongside other opposition parties play an advisory role in activities of the new administration of Governor Alex Otti.

“We don’t wish for the government of Governor Otti to fail rather the Bible enjoins us to pray for people in authority that they may succeed. So, I want to say I’m going to pray for him fervently to make sure he succeeds so that I can succeed in my own private endeavour.

“There’s what we call Inter-party Advisory Council, (IPAC), that comprises the various parties. Haven been elected as the state Party chairman of APGA, the tendency that we are going to work together is there, we are going to play advisory role and also checkmate them; we will criticise where necessary, but constructively and not just criticising because we are in opposition.”

Furthermore, he defined leadership as a call to service and not to amass wealth, as he argued the why of post election litigations that have characterised Abia politics, insisting that such will impede the desired growth and development of the State.

He, therefore, urged all aggrieved Abians especially those who contested against the Governor to concede to defeat, eschew animosity and rancour and embrace sportsmanship

“This court court court thing, is it necessary? Must you go to court? I mean, if you mean well for your state. I’m a politician and what I tell other politician is this, this thing should be a call to serve, not to enrich yourself; it mustn’t be you; I mean struggling to get into position of authority and you’re telling people during your campaign period that, I’ve come to serve, if it doesn’t come your way see it that the person who has been chosen can still do it. All you need do is to support though not just in all cases, if the person elected deserves the support, or the person was elected through a transparent process, then, why not throw your weight behind such a person and support the person and not to resort to litigations?