A former leader of the United Progressives Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okorie who joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) last year has officially collapsed the structures of the party into APC. Okorie did this in Awka, Anambra State at the weekend, and also led scores of his followers to adopt an Anambra governorship aspirant for his followers.
Okorie who adopted Mr Azuka Okwuosa as their choice for the forthcoming governorship election said he would work for his emergence as candidate of the party, after which he will relocate to Anambra State to ensure victory for APC.
“Azuka and I have long been allies. I first met him through my leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, very many years ago.
“We are here because of Okwuosa who has paid his dues in political apprenticeship. I knew him at Ikemba’s (Ojukwu) place in the early 90s. He has been Local Government chairman, commissioner for works and has been Director General of campaign organisations for other candidates.
“He is a man who knows the terrain in Anambra. He is an aspirant who knows the state and not just a returnee who is coming to take power.
“We are here to make him the candidate of APC. The UPP wing of APC is supporting him with all our might and we will show that we are still the tigers. I’m giving these UPP men and women to you, for you to put them in your organization and they will fight for you.
“We will support you and insist that the right person flies the party flag. I will relocate to Anambra once you get the ticket, to ensure you win,” Okorie told Okwuosa.
There are about 13 governorship aspirants jostling for the ticket of the APC to run for the November governorship election in Anambra State.
Okwuosa, who is one of them, has promised not to disappoint members of the party if he is chosen to fly the party’s flag. He called on leaders of the party to ensure that a credible primary election that will be widely acceptable is conducted to choose the candidate of the party.