2022/2023: Imo APGA Unveils Corporate Strategy To Win Elections

Dan Opara

• Leadership Vows To Vacate Seats Of IMHA Defected Members

As the 2022 Local Government elections draw nearer in Imo State and ahead of the 2023 General Elections in Nigeria, the leadership of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in the state ably led by the State Party Chairman, Hon.Chief John Iwuala (Ugwumba Mbaise Nation) was on Monday, January 3rd, 2022, at their Egbu Road Party Secretariat Owerri, held the party’s maiden Press Conference for the year.

Briefing Journalists, Chief Iwuala, expressed satisfaction with the level of leadership achievements so far recorded by the party under his watch in the year 2021 and extended a special goodwill message to all members of their party and all the indigenes Imo State.

While speaking, the Imo APGA State Chairman, seized the opportunity to felicitate with the National, State, and Local Government Executive Members of APGA, over the hitch-free 2021 Christmas and New Year celebrations 2022.

Iwuala said, ” In alignment with the driving force and commitment of the current leadership of Imo APGA which is to lead a party that will sustain robust engagements with relevant stakeholders presented an outlined policies and strategies with objectives to pursue reform programmes/rebranding for healthy competitiveness and effectiveness to evolve and present to Ndi-Imo for the endorsement of  APGA as a political party of the first choice to all well-meaning Imolites”.

He described the moment with media practitioners as the time to unveil a rebranded strategy of the APGA in Imo.

According to Iwuala, ” It is also aimed at offering APGA with open hands as succor to the general public and the masses who have suffered neglect and mal-administration in the hands of the two (2) major political parties in both previous and current administrations.

APGA Chairman in Imo hinted that the unveiling of a corporate strategy is to ensure that the policies, programmes, and procedures align with best practices of grassroots politics to offer good governance and quality leadership for the growth of democracy.

Unveiling Policies and Strategies of Imo APGA, Chief Iwuala disclosed that there would be strict compliance of the constitution of the party alongside basic political and administrative principles alongside the promotion of core values of due process.

“Transparency, accountability, equity, social justice, the rule of law and community service aimed at promoting strong corporate governance with political objectives shall facilitate the Imo APGA’s dream to deepen democratic values which include, but are not limited to principle of popular political sovereignty, political equality, political consultation, political emancipation, majority rule, and minority interests”, Iwuala submitted.

He maintained that APGA is poised to offer a credible platform to express rights to freedom of association, political aspirations to vote and to be voted for.

“We shall dwell on the spirit of sustaining routine engagements with all Imo indigenes, being the true owners of power and the party. This is to reflect the true meanings of Nkea Bu Nke Anyi and Onye Aghala Nwanneya Ya which are the slogans of APGA;

To launch strong and interactive social media presence for seamless membership drive/registration, maintenance of accurate and  electronic membership database for the party, information dissemination/feedback  management systems, aimed at collation of basic needs, requirements, wishes, and aspirations of the electorate across the 305 political/electoral wards of the 27 LGAs in the state and beyond;

To engage for positive reforms, with the national leadership and other relevant stakeholders of our great party to put an end to irregularities associated with the  selection/election of party candidates through party primaries;

To eliminate past ugly experiences in which the party’s platform are used to seek elective positions and later dumped after being voted into power;

To deploy every means including the print, electronic and social media platforms, to conscientize the masses and ensure an end to votes buying and manipulations of election results in Imo State;

As a matter of urgent public importance to Ndimo, educate Imolites on the dangers of voting into power, any wrong, and an ineligible candidate who has no track record of excellence and administrative capacity and character, as a result of financial inducement.

To partner with the electoral umpire, (Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC) to educate Imo electorates on the ongoing continuous voter registration, the need to participate, and the power of voters cards.

Metamorphoses from a political party into a religious and cultural movement that will guide all political actions, decisions, and choices.

In conclusion, the Imo APGA State Party Boss, strictly stated that the reforms and rebranding programmes outlined above are designed to motivate all Imo indigenes who are desirous to be part of our rebranding process to promptly proceed with the registration, renewal of old memberships, and to close ranks with our party to implement the stated corporate strategy and brand direction.

“We are targeted on identifying and reaching out to well-meaning Imo sons and daughters who are willing and able to be part of our vision of inclusiveness of the masses;

There will be a total overhaul of the party and outright change of psyche both within the leadership, the led, contestants, and of course the masses;

To this end, therefore, the era when persons with conflicting political ideologies, zero percent history of party loyalty, will stampede the party in a desperate search for emergency membership and benefits are admitted into the party is over”, Iwuala boasted.

Chief Iwuala warned that the era when someone will be allowed to hijack the party from just out of the blues is over and cannot be allowed to repeat itself in the state any longer.

“Never, and never again. Enough is Enough. Days of impunity are history”, Iwuala submitted.

Recalled that in 2019 about 11 members of the Imo 9th House Assembly were elected into positions of power at the Imo State House Assembly, IMHA, but unfortunately all of the dumped APGA as a political platform that projected them into elective offices.

But reacting to that political actions from those lawmakers, the Imo APGA State Chairman, Chief Iwuala, who expressed worry and dissatisfaction over the ugly trends, warned that such will never happen again.

According to him, “APGA as a political party, will soon extend our New Year Packages to them. We shall declare their seat vacant in no distant time. Vacant seats are waiting for them. We are going to unseat all of them from the Imo 9th House of Assembly. Hence, they are not in APGA, they are illegally occupying APGA seats at State House. They are going to refund APGA all their salaries starting from the date of their defection from APGA to another political party.