Governor Nwifuru Welcomes Monday Eze, Dr. Oketa, Other Members Of Opposition To Apc.

By Gil Emeagha

Contrary to the raging allegation of rejection of members of opposition political parties by Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, former members of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, which constituted the main opposition political parties in Ebonyi State, have been welcomed into the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, by Governor Nwifuru of Ebonyi State. Governor Nwifuru took time off his tight schedules to receive the new entrants into the ruling APC in Ebonyi State by taking to his WhatsApp handle to write a welcome message to Monday Eze, a firebrand media practitioner, leading political activist and former member of PDP; and to a university don, grassroots mobilizer and former member of APGA, Dr. Chibugo Oketa. The duo led other members of opposition parties in Effium Ward 2 of Ohaukwu LGA of Ebonyi State into the ruling All Progressives Congress in Ebonyi State on Saturday, 20th January, 2024. Governor Nwifuru's prompt filial reach out to those joining APC from opposition political parties shows that the governor's doors and the doors of APC in Ebonyi State are open to sincere entrants. This sufficiently debunks the allegations of rejection of members of opposition political parties against the governor.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Ebonyi State on Power, Hon. Chinedu Awo, who joined the APC executives to receive the new entrants admonished them to shun anything that would cause division. According to Hon. Awo, "You are all welcome. You are no late-comers in APC even now. You have to shun anything that will cause divisions in the party."

Earlier, while receiving the new entrants as well as their supporters, Effium Ward 2 APC chairman, Mr. Paulinus Okeh said that APC in Ebonyi State under the inspiring leadership of Governor Francis Nwifuru has room enough to accommodate all persons interested in the progress of Ebonyi State as enshrined in Ebonyi People's Charter of Needs. The Ohaukwu LGA chairman of APC, Engr. Charles Okeh, who praised Governor Nwifuru for his welfarist programmes charged the new entrants to show commitment to the administration and APC in Ebonyi State.

In their remarks, Monday Eze thanked Governor Nwifuru and the APC in Ebonyi State for the warm reception accorded them. Using the Pauline narrative, Eze assured that they would work hard to make the Nwifuru administration succeed. In his words: "We shall work hard to make Ebonyi State under Governor Nwifuru succeed. Ebonyi project is work in progress and we are like St. Paul who, though not among the 12 apostles, worked so hard that he took the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and every corner of the world". Dr. Oketa while harpimg on the need for sincerity and unity of purpose, said that he would work hard to sustain the success of the Nwifuru administration because, "Nwifuru is the youngest man to govern Ebonyi State and by his mandate, young people are challenged to show their readiness to take over leadership in Nigeria. He must succeed because that is the way to end gerontocracy and give young people more leadership opportunities in Nigeria."

The event attracted many party stalwarts including the pioneer representative of Ohaukwu North in Ebonyi State legislature, Hon. Ben Uzim; the Vice chairman of Ohaukwu LGA, Mrs. Chinonso Nwafor; party stalwarts, youth groups and the women folk of the electoral ward.