Apga Flags off campaign in Grand Style: Valentine Obienyem

 The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), yesterday flagged off it governorship campaign in Anambra State in grand style amidst mammoth crowd that filled the expansive Ekwueme Sqaure, Awka.
Filled to full capacity, with even more people outside the square, Gov. Peter Obi presented the APGA candidates, Dr. Willie Obiano and Dr. Nkem Okeke to the National Chairman of the Party, Chief Victor Umeh, who in turn presented them to the people of the State. Both were accompanied by their wives.
Their impressive academic qualification and experiences were read as justification that they are worthy to be entrusted with the fate of a State.
Speaking at the rally, Chief Victor Umeh who welcomed many people that joined APGA, including Anayo Obiakor, the Chairman of Democratic People’s Party; Ifeatu Obi Okoye, the former Chairman of the PDP and former Director Mobilization of Ifeany Uba campaign; Chief Arthur Obi Nwandu, former Gubernatorial candidate of the PDP; Former House members, Hon Echezona Okechi, Hon. Obiajulu Okeke, among many others who came with their teeming members said that the major attraction of people into APGA was because Peter Obi had delivered more than any Governor in Nigeria.
They described APGA as a great party in which Dim Chukwumeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu found fulfillment serving his people. He said no good son of Igbo land will go against APGA to support any other party, especially those deporting Igbos from their states.

Describing Obi as the most faithful APGA member, who had remained committed to APGA and was instrumental towards its growth, he said that after 8 years of of governing Anambra and setting records in the development of all sectors, that it was time to replace him with another person as good as himself, who will continue with his policies. “In Willie and Nkem, we found those with the pedigree to replicate Obi’s magic in Anambra State”, Umeh said
“Gov. Obi is an exceptional Governor. He did many monumental things in the State. In Education, he returned school to the Churches and is supporting them, to rebuild the returned schools. In health, he accredited many health institutions. In road, he has built over 800 Kilometers of roads that his predecessor claims some as his. In all sectors, it is the same story”, Umeh submitted
In his own speech, Governor Obi Said that the important thing in the State today is that Anambra people elects a good person that will continue to build on the achievements of the past. Insisting that he was convinced that Dr. Willie Obiano and Dr. Nkem Okeke were the people, he called on the people of the State to vote them in and ignore those prancing about without managing their lives believing they will manage that of a State.

Obi who said he had reviewed what those that wanted to become Governors of Anambra State were promising to do, said it was what his Government had either done or is doing.
He assured that he would not relent for one moment and that he would keep working assiduously for a crime-free State. On health, he said he had been investing billions in the provision of infrastructure to be followed by the unveiling of free ante-natal care in January to be continued by APGA Government. He revealed that Primary and Secondary Education will soon be free as part of the final push, after ensuring that all the schools have teachers on all their basic subjects.

On the issue of housing, Obi said after the completion of Ngozika Phase 1 and 2 that he would flag-off the 1st phase of Mass Housing in the next four days, for civil Servant and medium income earners.

On airport issue, he said that plan for the Anambra Airport has been approved by necessary bodies and that his successor will commence and complete it.

Obi also spoke on Local Government election, assuring that it would definitely hold on 14th December and that there would be no going back.

He also promised the continued attention to sports in the State. “Everybody is aware that Anambra has no mini stadium when I was elected, but today, we have completed two at Onitsha and have flagged-off the one at Awka, which is on-going. We are also partnering with organizations that are into sports for which we are rehabilitating the Rojenny and Chuba Ikpeazu stadia. We have also resuscitated school sports and have invested half a Million in all the secondary schools in the State for sports development and have promised within the next fortnight to give additional N750, 000 to all the schools for the same purpose. .

Expressing satisfaction with the progress in Agriculture, Obi said that under his Government, farmers for the first time receive loans running into billions. To guarantee food security, he said that his government has rehabilitated the Omor Rice Mill and is working hard towards the rehabilitation of the Nkwelle Ezunaka farm.

“Before I became Governor, Anambra worked with militias, today we are working with recognized State security agencies. In Anambra a Governor was kidnapped, yet he is promising to stop kidnapping. In Anambra, we had no accredited hospitals, today it is different. We had no foreign investment, but today 3 South Africam Companies are in the State, two of them fortune 500 companies. Our schools lacked basic infrastructure, today it is different. One can go o0n and on” Obi said.
Speaking one after the other, all those that led their members to join APGA said it was because APGA was the party of the people. They all referred to what they called the wonderful work Governor Obi is doing in the State.
In his words, Ifeatu Obi Okoye said in labour party, there were euphoria, but no vision and characteras is clear in APGA.
The crowd were addressed by high ranking party officials, some of who are Dr. tom Menakaya, Dr. Okey Udeh, Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu II, among others.
Various masquerades and groups added colour to the rally.