Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, has set his sights on investors, local and foreign, and on members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) outside Anambra in the bid to raise the state’s fortunes.
He assured investors of the government’s cooperation in providing an enabling environment, and pledged support for APGA members in the diaspora to ensure success in the elections next year.
Obiano bared his mind in Abuja during a lunch in honour of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) National Chairman, Victor Umeh, for the conferment on him of the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).
Dubai vision
“We want to assure the people who can influence investment in Anambra to please do so because we have provided an enabling environment and we will continue to do so all through my tenure to make sure that our place will be a place people will be happy to visit.
“By the time we finish our first eight years, Anambra would have been transformed into a modern Dubai,” Obiano promised.
He thanked APGA members, but stressed that “if you will, any place after Anambra is a diaspora for me. So if you are in Imo, you are a diaspora APGA member. I want to tell you guys that we have not forgotten you. We will support you to win.
“We are going to win the whole of the South East. I want you guys to know that you have a friend here in Anambra. We will do whatever we can to make sure that APGA flag flies in the Government Houses of all the five South East states.”
Obiano’s promise to “diaspora APGA” members elicited a thunderous ovation as many of the party faithful at the event are political office aspirants on the platform of the party.
Umeh grateful
Umeh expressed gratitude to President Goodluck Jonathan for honouring him with a national award.
“There are people who are above 80 years of age who were not recognised. They worked very hard for the country but were not privileged to get national honours. I am 52 years old and very few who were honoured are younger than me.
He said the award is a “pleasant surprise” considering that he has been in politics ‘for just 15 years.”
APGA National Secretary, Sani Shinkafi, dedicated Umeh’s national honour to all members of the party.
“The award is not just for Victor Umeh alone, it is for entire APGA family,” he stressed.
Shinkafi paid tribute to the late APGA national leader, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, saying if he were alive, he would have been among those to celebrate with Umeh and the party.
Other guests included APGA lawyer, Patrick Ikweto; APGA governorship aspirants Emmanuel Iheanacho (Imo) and Anthony Agboti (Ebonyi); and Jonathan’s Inter-Party Affairs Adviser, Ben Obi.
They also included APGA member in the House of Representatives, Victor Ogene; Anambra House of Assembly Speaker, Chidi Nwebili; and former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant, Mike Nkwocha.
