Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and member representing Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu has said the party’s state chapter is much stronger and more united, noting that it is ready to welcome new members into the fold.
While urging the State APC Stakeholders to support the efforts to rebuild the party jointly, the lawmaker said despite being the ruling party at the centre, APC members in Abia State need to do more to hold the structure even firmly.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting of the party in Abuja on Monday, he noted that the state chapter of the party has work to do, urging stakeholders to do away with the impression that APC is the national ruling party and therefore all other things are in place.
He dismissed the insinuation that the state chapter of APC is not united. According to him, it is more united, stronger, and ready for future elections, appealing to those on the fence to join and build the party’s strength.
“At the national level, we are the ruling party, but at the state level, we are almost like orphans. If you go with that impression ‘our party is in charge’.
“Yes, we are in charge at the federal level and if it does not trickle home, we will go with the wrong impression that we are in charge, but when it is broken down, we find out that we are not holding the structure firmly. You have a work to do.
“Those still on the fence are encouraged to join this great family as we navigate through for successful future outings”, he stated.
He noted that resources being mapped out for building the party are building blocks to its greatness and not just a jamboree.
The Deputy Speaker noted that there are roles to be played in making political parties great, appealing to stakeholders in Abia to stop looking at political party as a place to grab fortunes and go without playing the needed roles.
He urged that mundane issues such as clan, gender, and other factors should be ignored in appointing people for various jobs, urging that attention should be paid to capacity, character, competence, and accountability.
