Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said with the coming of Ubah into the All Progressives Congress (APC), the ruling party has conquered the South East.
Akpabio said just as it was said during the Civil War that the South/East had fallen, “South/East has fallen and it has fallen into APC.”
“So the man that comes will be the torch to lead the southeast to the national politics of Nigeria. It is my privilege to hand him over to you sir,” he said.
Meanwhile, the APC national chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje yesterday said the party’s journey to capture the South-East geopolitical zone has begun with the defection of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, a member of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) into the ruling party.
Ganduje stated when the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio presented Senator Ubah to him at the APC national secretariat, Abuja.
Ubah represents Anambra South senatorial district in the Senate.
He expressed worry that the South-East which comprised five states is governed by four different political parties. He said such a scenario was not politically healthy for the zone.
He said APC which currently controlled two out of five states will be emboldened by the lawmaker’s defection to take over the remaining three states for political exigency.
“This is the biggest fish I have gotten. Marginalisation is controversial. Let’s see what is happening in the South East. With the five states; three states are controlled by different political parties.
“We have PDP, LP, APGA and the remaining two APC. Now, a geopolitical zone with five states controlled by four political parties. Is this a sense of unity? Is this a sense of collective decision in order to participate in national politics? No.
“Now, we have started seeing the answer. We will start a revolution. Already, we have two states in the South East and with this man of timber and calibre, juggernaut, I think we have found the answer. Answer liberating the South East geopolitical zone,” Ganduje said.
Ubah promised to deliver his constituency and beyond to the APC. He said joined the ruling party because of President Bola Tinubu’s antecedents and politicalmagnanimity.
He said: “Our President is the politician that understands where it pains and how to console everybody. He has that capacity.”
One of the important things for me to tell our people is the appointment of Engr Dave Umahi as the minister of works for the very first time, irrespective of our very low turnout of votes for him.
“Our President is rewarding those who didn’t vote for him. For that it will be very difficult for any man with conscience not to look at the direction of the centre party and for that, I, my family and my constituency, I consulted widely. I don’t see anyone who will come against my coming into the APC.
“It is not all about talking, it’s about doing; I believe in action. Mr President, ust take it from me, I am going to deliver. I have made my complaints to Mr President in front of the Senate President and Mr President has graciously given me his words that he will support me.”
Earlier, Senate President Akpabio said with the coming of Ubah into the ruling party just as it was said during the civil war that the South/East has fallen; “South/East has fallen and is fallen into APC.”
“So the man that comes will be the torch to lead the southeast to the national politics of Nigeria. It is my privilege to hand him over to you sir.”
The Senate President said with Senator Ubah’s defection to the APC, the number of ruling party’s senators has risen in the red chamber.
“We have increased our number in the Nigerian Senate. This time around we are bringing political timber in the Senate to you. It was very difficult to convince him to join the train.”
Meanwhile, the APC chairman, Ganduje who had earlier received a delegation of stakeholders from Oyo State assured that the party would resolve issues to reclaim power in the next election.
He said: “We must all come together. Those who left the party should come back, those in the party should reconcile. We want to lay a solid block for APC in Oyo State. We will never betray you because we need to recapture that state.”
