By Steve Oko
A strong man of Abia politics and Board of Trustees, BoT, member of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Prince Benjamin Apugo, has solicited support for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, saying that his integrity, competence and proven track record of achievements have put him ahead of other contenders of the seat.
The APC chieftain who addressed newsmen yesterday in his Ibeku Umuahia country home, also drummed support for the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Dr Alex Otti, saying he has the capital to rebuild Abia.
Prince Apugo debunked media reports that he had endorsed the Abia APC governorship candidate, High Chief Ikechi Emenike, dismissing the report as misleading.
He said he never gave his blessings to the governorship ambition of Emenike, and cautioned against any attempt to use him for political glory.
Apugo accused the APC-led Federal Government of neglecting Abia State, saying there is no federal presence in the state.
” APC has not done anything for Umuahia and Abia State where I come from”, he regretted.
He also said that the APC had not done much for Ndigbo, and urged voters to vote based on the competence and integrity of candidates and not for the party logo in the forthcoming polls.
Apugo took a clean sweep of the Igbo political elite making uncomplimentary remarks on Obi, describing them as myopic and self-centred saboteurs.
He urged Igbo voters not to be discouraged because of the unpatriotic activities of such elements who he said could rarely visit their communities.
According to him, Obi’s presidential ambition and candidature have brought respect and honour to the Igbo race.
He recalled that this would be the first time Nigerians from different ethnic, religious and political backgrounds would be rallying behind a presidential candidate of South East extraction.
Apugo urged Ndigbo home and abroad to come out en mass and vote for credible candidates of their choice in the forthcoming elections.
He said that those hoping to rig the polls would have to think of something else, insisting that the era of manipulating election results was over.
Apugo expressed optimism that the forthcoming polls would give birth to a new Nigeria where merit and competence would count.
