Ganduje: S’East Must Speak with One Voice to Negotiate Nigeria’s Political Leadership

•Says Tinubu has approved blueprint for zone’s liberation 

•We need APC to be fully integrated, Uzodimma submits

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, yesterday, advised the leaders of South-east geo-political zone to start speaking with one voice to be able to negotiate for the political leadership of the country.

He however, hinted that President Bola Tinubu, had already approved a blueprint for the political liberation of the zone to the ruling party, APC.

On his part, the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, said it was important for APC as a political party to become the vehicle for the South-east region to be fully integrated into the national project.

Ganduje and Uzodimma spoke when Anambra APC stakeholders paid the national chairman a courtesy visit at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.

He said, “I will like to let you know that Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved our blueprint for political liberation of the South-east to the APC.

“He has approved the political emancipation, he has approved the political de-marginalisation of the South-east. Be with one voice because if you speak with one voice, your voice will be bigger, wider…for the negotiation for the political leadership of this country.

“There is no unity and you need unity in diversity. We need you to be united and deliberately the party in Anambra State needs a change, revolution of the South-east.”

Also, the Governor of Imo state, Hope Uzodimma said it was important for APC as a political party to become the vehicle for the South-east region to be fully integrated into the national project.

According to him, “We are determined in our region to be part and parcel of Nigerian politics. We are going to do our best to make sure that the five states in the South-eastern region are dominated by APC by endearing our party to the people of the South-east region.”

Earlier, the Anambra State Chairman of the party, Hon. Basil Ejidike, said the party at the state level was poised to go into the 2025 governorship election and ready to deploy all democratic arsenals to win the election.

He said the party appreciated the importance of Anambra State as a socio-political and economic melting pot of South-east and therefore could not afford to gamble with the coming opportunity to take over the Government House in Awka.

Ejidike told the NWC that at one of the party’s periodic stakeholders meetings  held on December 2, 2023, they received the senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District, Ifeanyi Ubah of the Youth Democratic Party (YPP), and Senator Uche Ekwunife, as well as Hon John Nwokeji.

He said they had also set up a strategic membership drive committee with the intent of reaching out to persons with the wherewithal, as well as harnessing the grassroots in order to improve the fortunes of the party.