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The national chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance, Victor
Umeh, yesterday told the former minister of information and communication, Dora
Akunyili, to be prepared to compete with other party aspirants who have
indicated their intention to contest the senatorial election in the Anambra
Central Senatorial District. Mr. Umeh stated this at the party national
secretariat in Abuja where Mrs. Akunyili went to purchase the nomination forms.
A form costs N3.5 million.

The national chairman noted that although the entry of the
former minister into the APGA would attracted attention and popularity to the
party, the practice of internal democracy by the party would not guarantee her
an automatic ticket.

“Your joining us today will add to our party,” he said. “All
that you have been doing about rebranding, you will bring it to our party. We
know that where you are leaving, they will not be happy but APGA is in your
constituency.

This is a wise decision you have taken and we wish you well. Any
party would love to have you. APGA is happy to have her seek the nomination of our
party to serve. It is a great thing that this great woman that has served in
various capacities quit her party to join us. You are welcome to our party. If
not for internal democracy that is required, we would have been talking about
other things. But we are going to give all of you an even playing ground. You
have to compete with others who have declared their interest to contest the
same position.”

The APGA boss described the party as a “mustard seed” which
holds the core values of democracy in great respect, adding that its leadership
has rebranded it.

Mrs. Akunyili said that she was happy that the party would not
give her an automatic ticket to contest the election because, according to her,
it would create anger and rancor. She, however, expressed hope that she would
emerge the nominee during the primaries to contest the main election.

“I pray that by the grace of God, I will be the nominee to the
senate,” she said. “If I don’t get it, I will support whoever gets it. Politics
should not be a do-or-die affair. When people talk about winning, winning,
winning all the time, it creates problems.”

Woman of the people

The former minister who was accompanied by a group of women
dressed in the same attire as well as aides said if elected a senator, she would
give the Anambra Central Senatorial District effective representation.

“They will be happy that their daughter is in the senate and
they will get their dues from the federal government,” she said.

Mrs. Akunyili also assured listeners that she would help the
party deepen internal democracy in Nigeria and in the West Africa sub-region.
She said that she joined APGA because of the performance of Governor Peter Obi
of Anambra State. But a possible opponent of Mrs. Akunyili for the senatorial
ticket of the APGA, George Ibezimako Ozodinobi, has described her decision to
run for senate on the APGA platform as nothing short of political prostitution
and a betrayal of President Goodluck Jonathan’s trust.

Mr. Ozodinobi, who represented the Anaocha, Njikoka and Dunukofia federal
constituency under APGA from 2003 to 2007, said in Awka that Mrs. Akunyili’s
move portrayed her as politically unstable. He also said the former minister’s
decision to leave Mr. Jonathan’s camp now could be viewed as an indication that
the Igbo were not supporting him.