Governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last Anambra governorship election, Dr George Moghalu has affirmed the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige as leader of the party in the state.
Moghalu, who is also the Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) knocked Senator Andy Uba over his plot to take over the party, describing him as a tenant in APC.
Speaking to journalists in Nnewi on Monday about the recent judgement, which stripped Uba of the candidacy of the APC, Moghalu said it was intentional that he refused to speak to the media, after approaching the court on the primary election of the party, which was purportedly won by Uba.
He said: “As you are aware, my party which we laboured to put in place did not hold primary election to choose a candidate for the last governorship election.
“Being a law abiding citizen I sought judicial redress and the judgement agreed with me that there was no primary.
“I’m here now to thank the party, my supporters and those who believe in democracy and to thank the president and critical stakeholders who put in words of encouragement. They knew I was doing this (litigation), not for myself but to create enabling environment for democracy to thrive, and for posterity sake.
“I prefer my party being in governance, we campaigned to achieve that objective, but I refused to sit back and watch impunity manifest. It is not about me but correcting a flawed process. It is not cast in iron that I must be governor, power belongs to God and he gives to who He wishes. There Is no iota of desperation about it, maybe it is not my time yet, but I would have failed if I consented to that thing they called a primary election.”
Speaking on the recent naming of Uba as the leader of the party in the state, against Dr Ngige, Moghalu said there was no such position as leader of the party in the APC constitution, rather it was a position reserved for the highest ranking personality in a state that does not have a sitting governor from the party.
“People follow who they have seen their lifestyle. There is nothing like leader in the APC constitution. The highest political office holder in a state where there is no governor is usually the leader of the party in a state.
“Ngige is a statesman, a former governor, a former senator, a minister. All these positions held by Ngige are not in contest and the circumstances have conferred on him that position of a leader of the party in the state.
“People have talked about sacking me from the party, but I always say a tenant cannot sack a landlord. I did not join APC, I was part of its formation. The people claiming to be leaders innthe party today are people who joined us after we have laboured.
“They were the same people who called us northern party, Boko Haram party and all. What should concern me now is looking at factors that led to a poor outing in the last election and correcting them. People can’t come from nowhere and lord things over us in the party,” he said.
