All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) held its congress last Saturday in Awka, the Anambra State capital, amid wild applause for the Board of Trustees Chairman and Governor of the state, Chief Willie Obiano.

It was gathered that Obiano’s leadership had seen the party grow with victories by the party’s candidates in the recent general elections both in Anambra and some parts of Nigeria.

Held at the Women Development Centre, the congress, which started May 16th at the Ward level across the state, and the local government areas two days later, culminated in the election of new executives at the three levels with Sir Norbert Obi, former Commissioner for Special Duties in the state, emerging as the new State Chairman of APGA after eight years.

27 others were also elected into various positions alongside the new state party chairman during the congress seen by many of the delegates as the most peaceful since the inception of the party.

Addressing the congress, the national chairman of APGA , Chief Victor Umeh, who was represented by the state chairman, Chief Mike Kwentoh, said that APGA is a political movement founded on the principles of equity, justice and transparency and had since its inception, weathered many storms to get to the enviable height it is presently.

Attributing the successes the party has achieved to the collective support of the government and people of Anambra State, Chief Kwento maintained that the party is moving at a rapid pace towards becoming the next opposition party in the country as evident in the landmarks it recorded during the last general elections.

Chief Kwentoh informed the congress that his executive constituted the APGA State Congress Committee with Mr. Ifeatu Onejeme as chairman and charged them with the responsibility of conducting a transparent election for the new executives. Kwentoh also advised the new party officers that “to lead you must be ready to be a ‘dust-bin’ where the good and the bad will dump. It is important that we bond together because we are one indivisible APGA.”

The Chairman of the State Congress Committee, Mr. Ifeatu Onejeme said that the committee was relying on Article 9, sub-section 5 of the APGA Constitution to conduct the elections with 1139 duly accredited delegates.

He explained the processes and assured that due process was followed to ensure the emergence of credible leadership for the party at all levels.

Mr. Onejeme, stated that the election has become necessary to fill the void created by the outgoing State Executive as well as to further strengthen internal democracy and guarantee continuity in the party.

He commended the outgoing Executives for their doggedness in effectively administering the affairs of the party for the past eight years.

He noted that the new order of peace and intensified struggle towards the people's emancipation which the Congress was designed to usher in would ensure that the Party lives up to its motto “be your brothers’ and sisters keeper.”

In his acceptance speech on behalf of the new APGA executive, the new chairman promised to run an all-inclusive administration with an open-door policy akin to the style which has earned Governor Obiano, the admiration of Ndi Anambra.

According to him“We welcome new ideas and constructive criticisms for the progress of our party. Therefore we invite you all to continue to contribute your quota towards the building of a stronger and more viable APGA. This party moves forward because of you.

“It moves forward because you re-affirm the spirit of the founding fathers of this great party, the APGA spirit that has lifted this state from the depths of despair to the heights of hope, the belief that while each of us will pursue our own individual dreams we are an APGA family (Onye aghana nwanne ya) and we rise and fall together as one APGA family and as one people.”

The new chairman also on behalf of the executive promised to uphold and justify the confidence reposed in them by the party men and women.

He expressed gratitude to the national leader and BoT Chairman of APGA, Governor Willie Obiano for showing in concrete terms within a short period, his genuine resolve to make the Party great, adding that the dividends of his developmental strides has continued to attracted interests towards the party.

He promised to operate an all-inclusive and open door system of administration and to pursue that will ensure that APGA remains one big indivisible family.

Commenting on the outcome of the congress, Member-Elect for Idemili North State Constituency, Chief Francis Nmegbuanaeze, said that it was a very peaceful exercise devoid of rancor. He acknowledged that with the consolidation process currently ongoing in the Party and with the support of Governor Obiano, APGA is poised to make further in-roads into other States of the South-East and across the federation.

The congress attracted top state government functionaries, all political office holders in the state elected on the platform of APGA, party chieftains and supporters with representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as observers.

Members of the new APGA State Executive Committee who were elected unanimously by voice vote are expected to be sworn into office on the 10th of next Month when the subsisting tenure of the present party executives will expire.

•Photo shows newly-elected APGA Chairman Anambra State, Sir Norbert Obi (centre in red cap) flanked by Chairman APGA Congress Committee, Mr. Ifeatu Onejeme,(left)and Chief of State to Governor Anambra State, Prof Joe Asike and other members of the new APGA executive at the APGA State Congress held at Women Development Centre Awka on Saturday.

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