November 18: why APC should give her flag to Dr Chike Obidigbo.

As we approach APC primaries, whereupon the party through her delegates will elect the candidate for the November 18, Anambra State governorship election, all eyes are on APC, as a party with all it takes to defeat the ruling party in the state.

APGA has been in power in Anambra State since 2006 when Peter Obi through the courts reclaimed his mandate. The twelve years unbroken hold on the state leadership by APGA made some bookmakers believe erroneously the claim that Anambra is an APGA state.

But November 18 will be a test case for this claim as APC is prepared to take over the state at the poll.

APC Anambra State at the end of her membership drive recently, registered over 1.2 million members. This was a sign of acceptance against the false claims that APC will be rejected by Ndi Anambra. Apart from the overwhelming registration of over a million members, APC has the highest number of concentration of grassroots politicians, heavyweights and respected mobilizers who joined the party in order to return the state leadership to a national party.

With the strength and increasing size of APC and the long hold onto power by APGA, the November election is practically between APC and APGA.

Anywhere in the world, to defeat an incumbent and a ruling party doesn't come easy, and for APC to achieve this record in Anambra, the party should nominate Dr Chike Obidigbo as her flag bearer for November 18 election.

Why Dr Chike Obidigbo?

Of all the aspirants contesting on the platform of APC, Dr Chike Obidigbo is the only aspirant who joined APC from APGA.

Since the election is going to be between APC and APGA that has been on ground in the last twelve years, Dr Obidigbo will deplete APGA membership completely if given APC ticket. APGA has many aggrieved members because the party lacks internal mechanism for dispute resolution. Arguably, about 75% of APGA members are aggrieved persons, who are hanging around waiting for direction after political parties must have concluded their primaries.

Dr Chike Obidigbo, if given APC ticket will harvest all these aggrieved members and bring them into APC where party internal democracy is guided and every interest accommodated. Therefore Dr Obidigbo will significantly deplete APGA membership and give APC the lead it deserves come November 18.

2. Dr Obidigbo is, if not the most credible, competent and respected aspirant in APC.

There is no doubt in any quarter on the integrity of Dr Obidigbo. He has clean and proven track record, unrivalled antecedent and respect within the rank and file of the political class and grassroots.

3. Grassroots.

What APC needs to stamp out APGA on November 18 is a man that's "grassrooted". By this, I mean the ordinary voters and not the politically deprived youths who wander from one politician to another shouting "ojebego".

The ordinary voter, who belongs to the silent majority looks at personality and past records of contenders. Due to political consciousness and awareness most voters no longer want contenders who are career politicians. They see them as the problem and causes of the present economic mess without any noticeable palliative to solving the problem since 1999. Dr Obidigbo is not a career politician. He is coming from the private sector where he has created jobs, empowered the youths and contributed to the local economy.

4. All politics is local.

Dr Chike Obidigbo is not a diaspora politician. He has all his businesses in Anambra State and Southeast. He is the only aspirant who lives with his people, interacts with them and knows their needs.

He doesn't belong to the class of politicians who only return during elections, blare siren everywhere, intimidate the locals and return to Abuja or elsewhere after elections only to reappear during the next election.

Voters now consider accessibility to their leaders as a criteria to voting them. And in this regard, APC has such an aspirant who lives with his people in Dr Chike Obidigbo.

5. Ideas and visions.

It is no longer news that Dr Obidigbo is the best aspirant in terms of ideas and vision required in governance.

Dr Obidigbo was the chairman of Anambra State government committee under Obi administration that carried out a detailed research and prepared the economic blue print with which the administration recorded its commendable achievements in all sectors.

He is the only aspirant that talks about jobs, mass employment, youth empowerment, economic rejuvenation, harnessing the energy of the youths positively, food security, improved standard of education, affordable health care, southeast economic integration, development of critical infrastructure and creating of business friendly environment for businesses to thrives.

As a local manufacturer who has survived various harsh polices of past governments and kept his company running, while so many others closed, Dr Obidigbo is the right man to lead the state. He understands the right policies to revamp the local economy, woo investors and manufacturers as well as encourage the Igbo think home investment initiative.

6. Anambra North factor.

Dr Chike Obidigbo is from Umunya, Oyi local govt area of Anambra North senatorial zone.

Apart from zoning arrangement being discussed at all levels in the state, the incumbent governor Obiano is also from the zone.

It is only if APC zones her ticket to Anambra North that all the senatorial zones will be open for grab. Anything short of that will see Anambra North giving a block vote to APGA, while Obiano commissioners, LG TC chairmen, political aides, govt contractors, etc from South and Central will also scramble for votes for APGA, share the votes in Anambra South and Central while returning intact the block votes from the north.

But giving Dr Obidigbo the APC ticket will change this narrative.

In 2013, Ndi Anambra North, all the traditional rulers, age grade, women and youth organisations met and selected Dr Obidigbo as their best candidate to lead the state. The manner Obiano was imposed from those outside the zone is a story for another day. However the failure of governance under gov Obiano has become an embarrassment to the zone and majority of Ndi Anambra North are asking for another four years to remedy it.

This majority still stands with Dr Obidigbo as their hope to redeem the shame of bad governance associated with their brother governor.

So like APGA, Dr Obidigbo will equally deplete the votes of Anambra North and return the majority votes to APC on November 18.

7. Clean records.

These days, candidates who tend to contest election face so many accusations, allegations, litigation, petition, charges and all that.

APC needs someone who will face campaign squarely and speak daily to the voters, and not one who will be running at every corner from campaign ground to news room clearing one charges to another. To have a clean record is never easy. Dr Obidigbo is the man that will give APC victory on November 18.

8. Maturity

Dr Obidigbo is very matured. He commands respect. If nominated by APC, he will attract credibility to the party and erase the false accusations that the party belongs to looters, unpopular politicians and people with questionable wealth.

If elected on November 18, Dr Obidigbo will also command respect among his fellow governors, become the father to the state and unite Ndigbo through quality leadership and purposeful direction.

Finally,

This continuity can not be allowed to continue, therefore APC should not make any mistake with her ticket.

Dr Chike Obidigbo, Osisoma Igbo, is a philanthropist. He has relationships across board. He is the man everyone is looking up to Correct Correctly the mistakes of 2013 and make Anambra State work again.

Correction 2017.

Eneh Victor Chigozie
For: Osisioma Foundation & Correction 2017.