Governor Rochas Okorocha of the eastern Nigerian state of Imo has said that the endorsement of Sen. Chris Ngige as the APC consensus candidate for the Anambra gubernatorial election was to prove the world wrong about the Igbo.
Speaking with journalists on Friday after inspecting ongoing work at the Centre of Unity, Emene in Enugu, Okorocha lamented that the Igbo for many years had been known to be disorganised politically.
The governor, who was accompanied by Sen. Ngige, Sen. Annie Okonkwo and other APC chieftains, said the endorsement had proved that the Igbo could agree and speak with one voice.
Rochas Okorocha: Imo state Governor
“We are now a new generation of Ndigbo, trying to chart a new course and sing a new song. We now reason together and APC has provided the platform to sing the new song.
"What happened between Sen. Annie Okonkwo and his brother Ngige is simply what we can describe as sacrifice at the highest level. One of them decided to lead the campaign of the other, in spite of the fact that the two of them are front-runners in our election as APC aspirants,'' he said.
Okorocha said the leadership of the party was able to resolve the matter and the aspirants agreed.
“Our generation cannot be considered as a generation of failure. If leaders in the past have not made it, we will make it.That is the spirit with which the Igbo are going into the next election and the next programme of politics in Nigeria," Okorocha said.
Also speaking, Okonkwo said the party and its members were committed to making changes in the polity.
Okonkwo noted that he was supporting Ngige to drive the change in the state, saying: “God has chosen him and I give him my full support.”
Reacting to the endorsement, the Organising Secretary of APC, Mr Osita Izunaso, said the sale of forms was still open until 26 August for intending aspirants.
He said the party's primaries would still hold on 2 September to respect internal democracy.
“When people have agreed to step down for one another, you still have to go ahead to consolidate it in line with internal democracy structure of the party.
“Our party believes in internal democracy and we must enforce it,'' Izunaso said.
