EZEEMO HOLDS FIRST APC RALLY IN AWKA, APC SUPPORTERS: GIVE US EZEEMO OR PRIMARIES

The Anambra governorship race took a different dimension on Friday 23 August  when all the who is who in the Southeast All Progressives Congress (APC) gathered in Awka the Anambra state capital for the biggest rally so far organized in the southeast by the new party. The APC rally in Awka which was named an interactive session of APC stakeholders was sponsored by the Godwin Ezeemo Campaign Organization and had supporters coming from all the 326 electoral wards in Anambra state. The supporters who started arriving venue of the event as early as 10 am overfilled the Hall and even spilled into the grounds and the adjoining streets.

In a road show that started effectively from the Ezeemo campaign headquarters at Udoka Estate, Awka,  included a marching band, a well known DJ from Awka, students from Unizik and ANSU all adorned in white Tee shirts and white Peak caps with pictures of Ezeemo and APC logo. The students and supporters were waving brooms the trademark of APC as they moved around all the major streets of Awka singing and dancing. The highly politically aware city of Awka had never witnessed an APC rally in Awka before.

The APC unbeatable aspirant in the Anambra governorship election, Mr. Godwin Chukwunenye Ezeemo was highly visible in the parade as he acknowledged cheers from the teeming supporters of Awka residents  who said their messiah has finally arrived.  At the Marble Arch Hotel, venue of the APC rally in Awka, scores of speakers addressed the supporters, they all had one message: APC will not adopt any candidate, rather all candidates will test their popularity at the polls; while urging them to support Ezeemo for a better tomorrow for all.

The gathered supporters sang and chorused either Ezeemo or no APC in the southeast; and Ezeemo we will follow  to the end. In  his speech, the aspirant, Mr. Godwin Ezeemo (Achinagbaraoha Anambra State) thanked the supporters who came for the APC rally in Awka. He debunked the rumours making rounds that he had stepped down from the race. He stated, restated and emphasized that APC has not chosen any candidate either by anointing or consensus; while urging them to be steadfast, he promised them victory in the primaries slated for 1 and 2 September, 2013. He urged them to go back to their various wards to mobilize and educate the people on the upcoming primaries.

Another highlight of the APC rally in Awka was the recognition and special welcome given to supporters of Annie Okonkwo, and members from All Nigeria  People Party (ANPP) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) (the other two parties in the merger with ACN that metamorphosed into APC) who all promised to work doubly hard to ensure Ezeemo becomes the next governor of Anambra State.

A supporter who came for the APC rally in Awka from Aguleri, but did not want his name in print said that the problem that APC faces is the selfish ambition of the short man to control everything and everybody. He wondered why somebody who goes by the slogan tested and trusted will want to get a governorship ticket through the backdoor. He questioned : doesn’t tested and trusted mean that you are 100% sure the people will vote for you; and if that is the case, why shy away from primary election? Primaries should be held so that Anambrarians will have the opportunity of sifting the wheat from the chaff.

At the end of it all, a ten point communiqué was jointly issued by all the stakeholders in Anambra APC, and it is reproduced below.

1.     We frowned at the rumour being spread in the various media that APC has selected gubernatorial candidate for the 16^th November 2013 Election in Anambra State without going through the Party Primaries. We saw this as a calculated attempt to mislead the teeming supporters of our Aspirant - Mr. Godwin Ezeemo.

2.     Our Aspirant Mr. Godwin Ezeemo was falsely reported to have stepped down. This is not true, as that never emanated from the National leadership of APC. Also the APC Executive meeting that took place in ABUJA and its communiqué never presented this.

3.     Our Aspirant Mr. Godwin Ezeemo: being a true democrat, a gentleman of repute and highly disciplined person has refused to join issues with the mischief makers but resorted to communicating the true position of the Party Leadership to the public. The Party Leadership has not anointed any Aspirant.

4.     The truth of the matter is that only Chief Annie Okonkwo stepped down, that does not mean that an Aspirant has been anointed; the stepping down of one Aspirant does not mean the anointing of one since they are now three Aspirants remaining.

5.     We call on the National Leadership of APC to ensure that due process is followed as Anambra State Election is the litmus test of the success or failure of the Party in the forth coming 2015 General Election.

6.     If the leadership of the Party has fixed 1^st and 2^nd September 2013 for conducting the Primaries, why then are mischief makers in the Party circulating rumours that an anointed candidate has emerged?

7.     We believe that APC being a new baby that is highly democratic in nature, should stamp out this falsehood completely.

8.     Our Aspirant Mr. Godwin Chukwunenye Ezeemo is in the Race and seriously concerned in the general well being of Anambra people.

9.     We thank the Leadership of the Party for their proactive step in fixing the date for Primaries, and also request them to ensure that the Primaries is not hijacked in any form.

10.                        Finally, we thank all APC family and Anambrarians for their support for our Aspirant – Mr. Godwin C. Ezeemo.

EZEEMO MEETS TRADITIONAL RULERS FROM OLD AGUATA UNION (OAU)

An ecounter with Traditional Rulers from Old Aguata Union (OAU)

EZEEMO STEPPED DOWN STORY: A HOAX

In a highly attended meeting of the fledging mega opposition party All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, two political aspirants in the November 16 Anambra gubernatorial elections connived to disenfranchise the highly favoured dark horse in the election Mr. Godwin Ezeemo of his yet to be given mandate.

Senators Annie Okonkwo and Chris Ngige having seen the handwriting on the wall ganged up with others of similar dispositions to announce that APC primaries will no longer hold in Anambra State as Annie Okonkwo and Godwin Ezeemo has both stepped down leaving only Dr. Chris Ngige as the sole candidate for the November elections.

Based on this subterfuge, Senator Annie Okonkwo was compensated with the position of campaign manager for the Chris Ngige Campaign Organization. However, this story lacks substance. First, what now happens to the other contenders from CPC,   ANPP  and factions of APGA that together made up the newly formed APC? Second, if Senator Okonkwo was compensated with the position of Campaign manager, what is Ezeemo’s Compensation?

Rumours making rounds in the social media are saying that Senator Annie Okonkwo raised the hand of Ngige, saying that he will happily work to achieve Ngige’s return to the Awka government House. However, such gestures are his brand of politicking. The same Annie Okonkwo had earlier in June this year at the launch of APC at Emmaus House Awka introduced Ezeemo as the party’s candidate for the November election. At the occasion, he gave the thousands of gathered supporters the impression that he was contented with position of National Deputy Chairman South of the party.

Statement coming from the Ezeemo Campaign organization  says that Mr. Godwin Ezeemo will never step  down for anybody, even if he was offered the moon; describing the rumours as the handiwork of mischief makers who had excess time on their hands. The statement went on to say that Ezeemo believes in internal democracy and has therefore promised the good people of Anambra State to be in the race as long as the Anambra people wish. He is therefore using this opportunity to assure his teeming supporters nationwide and Anambrarians that the rumours making rounds are nothing but a conspiracy to deprive the good people of Anambra State their favoured candidate for the governorship elections scheduled for November 16.

Reactions from the streets of Awka indicate that the new APC is certainly heading for a premature death if primaries were not conducted. At the Okada stand at Arroma Junction, cyclists were wondering why Ngige was afraid to test his popularity with Anambrarians at the primaries.  Johnson a cyclist from the same Idemili North L.G with  Dr. Ngige wondered where the Tested and Trusted slogan of Dr. Ngige was, if he wanted to avoid primaries. He said that it is true that they people always hail Ngige as he passes on the streets, but that does not mean they like him  nor will they vote for him. He cautioned APC to beware of imposing candidates on the people as the people will definitely react by casting their votes for the opposition. Meanwhile a press briefing is being awaited from Ezeemo Campaign Headquarters at Udoka Estate, Awka.