• Calls for immediate restarting of Nigeria
By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
The new National chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Barr. Sylvester Ezeokenwa yesterday said the policy of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu listing subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called fuel, was the right step, but said the government should have met certain conditions before implementation.
Speaking to journàlists yesterday in Abuja, Ezeokenwa said the hardship which the poor masses are currently facing in the increase of fuel pump price to N557 per liter could have been mitigated, adding that the poor masses always bear the brunt of high cost of energy and inflation.
He said also that there is no possible way to exonerate the Government for failure to clean up the subsidy regime, which according to him, remains the only known benefit which the poor masses get from the government, irrespective of their level of income.
To this end, he said social welfare facilities should have been put on ground to ensure that the adverse effects of the policy is mitigated before the eventual removal.
Speaking further, Ezeokenwa, who is the immediate past Commissioner for Special Duties to Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State, also called for the restructuring of the economy, politics and security of the country, pointing out that APGA believes this will go a long way to encourage creativity and industry among States, against the current dependence on Federal Government.
He said APGA strongly believes in a drastic transformation of the social fabric of the country, which he said the cock in the party’s logo symbolises.
“We all know that Peter Obi was the rave of the last election and he started from APGA, also, Governor Obina built what has come to be the landmark international airport in Anambra, and now the incumbent Governor Chukwuma Soludo is reputed to be constructing and rehabilitating the highest kilometers of roads in Anambra State, even when most of his contemporaries are not paying salaries”, he said.
At this juncture, he disclosed that his agenda for the party during his tenure include setting up a foundation to reach out to the poor Nigerians across the country, explaining that the spirit of APGA is to be brother’s keeper.
He also said he will rebrand the party by ensuring that leadership meets the momentum of the younger generation.
Meanwhile, he dismissed one Edozie Njoku, saying he has no ground to claim chairmanship of APGA, especially given that he conducted a kangaroo national convention in Owerri, Imo State, where he declared himself winner.
According to him, it is only the National chairman of APGA that can convene a national convention to elect new NWC members, just as he questioned how Mr. Njoku, who was not chairman of the party at the time, will convene a National convention to conduct election of NWC members.
“I will answer you in a very simple analogy, if you want to know any fact about a commercial bank in this country, you go to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as the regulator, so also, if you want to know anything about the leadership of APGA, you go the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the managers of political parties”, the APGA chairman said.
He however said the party, under his leadership, is ready to pursue peace and genuine reconciliation, urging all aggrieved members to return to the fold and mend their ways. “But if anybody takes the party to Court, as a legal practitioner myself, that is my job and I will go to any length to fight for this party”, he said.
