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Tag: Nwoye

  • Okorocha to Nwoye, others: don’t challenge Obiano’s victory

    Okorocha to Nwoye, others: don’t challenge Obiano’s victory

    Imo State Governor and Chairman of Progressives Governors’ Forum, Rochas Okorocha, has urged candidates of all the political parties who participated in Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra State, including his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Tony Nwoye, to accept the outcome of the election in good fate.

    The governor, who congratulated the candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and incumbent governor, Willie Obiano, said his (Obiano’s) victory was too clear to be contested or questioned.

    He advised the candidates of other political parties, who participated in the election, to “congratulate Obiano and avoid going to court to question his victory”.

    Okorocha, who regretted the loss of the APC in the election, attributed it to internal wrangling and lack of genuine commitment to the party’s leadership in the state.

    The governor however expressed the hope that with the result of the election, “the future of APC in the Southeast is very bright”, and stressing that “before now nobody would have thought that APC could do better than the PDP in an election in Anambra state”.

    Governor Okorocha also urged Nigerians to celebrate President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC led government at the centre for allowing a level playing ground for all the candidates.

    He added that the Anambra election has shown that the APC has what it takes to strengthen the nation’s democracy.

    The governor thanked the people of Anambra state for a peaceful election and for not yielding to IPOB’s threats or listening to the group’s call for boycott.

     

  • Anambra : Early returns favour Obiano, Nwoye

    Anambra : Early returns favour Obiano, Nwoye

    With official results of yesterday’s governorship election in Anambra being expected late last night, unofficial returns from the polling wards and units put the incumbent Governor Willie  Obiano of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in early lead.

    Tony Nwoye, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is also reported to be doing well, while Oseloka Obaze of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expressed confidence that he would win.

    Some of the unofficial figures obtained by our correspondents are as follows:

    INEC Results Unit 013 Ward 1 Onitsha North

    APGA 96

    PDP 35

    APC 34

    INEC Results Unit 017 Ward 1 Onitsha North

    APGA 67

    PDP 39

    APC 14

    Umudala Hall Polling unit no 10 Nanka ward 1 Orumba north

    AA 1

    ADP 1

    LP 2

    PPA 1

    APDA 1

    UPP 2

    APC 21

    PDP 40

    APGA 99

    Umuono Hall 2, Nise Ward 2, Awka-South LGA.

    APGA – 94

    APC – 25

    PDP – 8

    APDA – 1

    LP – 1

    Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Campus

    Obodo Okolie polling boots

    Boot 17

    APGA 28,

    PDP 22,

    APC 17,

    AGAP 1,

    APDA 1,

    DPC 1,

    LP 1.

    Boot 001=

    APGA 20,

    PDP 7,

    APC 16,

    ACPN 1,

    UPP 1.

    Boot 008 =

    APGA 37,

    APC 13,

    PDP 6,

    ADP 1,

    UPP 2.

    Boot 0014

    APGA 23,

    APC 17,

    PDP 3,

    APP 1.

    NDIUMEREAKU POLLING BOOTS.

    Boot 003

    APGA 41,

    APC 24,

    PDP 13.

    Boot 009

    APGA 16,

    APC 8,

    PDP 4,

    AA 1,

    LP 1.

    Boot 012

    APGA 9,

    APC 5,

    PDP 7.

    Boot 016

    APGA 17,

    APC 7,

    PDP 9.

    Results Unit 017 Ward 1 Onitsha North

    APGA 67

    PDP 39

    APC 14

    Results from Enugwu Ukwu, Njikoka LGA of the ward

    Ward 1 Enugwu-Ukwu Polling Booth 004

    APGA: 116

    PDP: 0

    APC: 28

    APDA: 2

    Invalid votes: 13

    Ward 1

    Enugwu-Ukwu Polling Booth 002

    APGA: 135

    PDP: 16

    APC: 64

    Invalid votes: 22

    Results Unit 013 Ward 1 Onitsha North

    APGA 96

    PDP 35

    APC 34

     

    Results Polling unit 18

    Nanka ward 1 Orumba north

    LP 1

    ADP 1

    APC 40

    PDP 17

    APGA 81

    PPA 3

    UPP 1

    However, the election was characterized by low turnout of voters, late arrival of election materials and delay in commencement of voting, as well as Card Reader malfunction in many polling units.

    But, the voter apathy had nothing to do with the threat of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) that voters should stay away from polling units. Indeed, the exercise was generally peaceful and violent-free across the state.

    An INEC Commissioner, Prince Solomon Soyebi, said the delay was partly because of the late arrival of some of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members who were recruited to participate in the exercise. He said in addition to a mix-up in the deployment of the NYSC members to polling centres, some of them reported late because they came from far places, including outside the state.

    Soyebi who spoke at the polling centres located within the Community Primary School, Amawbia also confirmed that some Card Readers had some faults and could not identify finger-prints of some voters, but, said such Card Readers were immediately replaced.

    According to the Director-General of the Obiano Campaign Organisation, Chief Victor Umeh, the low turn-out recorded during the governorship poll did not come as a surprise. He said governorship elections in Anambra State since after 2003 general elections had always recorded voters’ apathy.

    Umeh, the former National Chairman of APGA, said the development had nothing to do with the earlier order by the now proscribed IPOB. He said most people take election days as holidays, and that they rather stay in their homes and rest.

    Voting started late in many polling units. For instance, at 12.57pm, when The Nation called at Polling Unit 001, Ward 1, located at the Umuchu Civic Centre, Aguata Local Government Area, election materials and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had not arrived. The above polling unit, which is located in Anambra South Senatorial zone, is where the candidate of the Progressives People’s Alliance (PPA), Chief Godwin Ezeemo, registered and expected to cast his vote.

    Aroma Polling Units 1 and 2, Awka Ward 1, Awka South Local Government Area, which are about 100 meters from the INEC head office, the exercise commenced relatively earlier at about 9am.

    Most of most residents stayed indoors throughout the duration of the election. All markets in both urban centres of Awka, the state capital, Onitsha, the commercial hub, Nnewi, the industrial town and Ekwulobia, as well as those in the rural areas were deserted. The roads were also deserted, except the presence of the security personnel, including police and army who mounted road blocks at various strategic locations on the roads.

    There was a high incidence of Card Reader failures. INEC officials resorted to use of incidence forms to record particulars of voters who card-readers could not identify their finger prints after accreditation before they were allowed to cast their votes.

    Electoral officials were idle in many polling units in Awka, Umuchu, Agulu, Nri and Amawbia, particularly earlier in the day.

    The governorship candidate of the PPA, Chief Godwin Ezeemo, lamented the late arrival of electoral materials and INEC official at his polling unit. It was learnt that voting started at the unit about 1pm. He expressed frustration over this development, saying it was a deliberate ploy to deny him and his supporters the opportunity to exercise their voting right as Nigerians.

    He said: “I am not desperate to be governor, but I’m worried about the way we are treating ourselves. I’m worried about this nation. The ruling class wants to impoverish this nation.

    “Naturally Black people are like this. They are treating our people as if they are idiots. It is a vicious cycle; in my life time, I don’t see anything good happening in our country. I will wait till 2pm, if they don’t show up, I will go home.”

    Just like in most other polling centres visited where low turnout of voters were observed, in Aguluzogbo Ward 11, polling Centre which has a total of 573 registered voters, only  184 cast votes at the end of the exercise. The Presiding Officer, Miss Tamunoibuomi Felix stated that the exercise was very peaceful and that voters and political party agent conducted themselves peacefully.

    Allegations of rigging also trailed the conduct of the election. For instance, an elderly man was arrested at the Community Primary School, Amawbia, sharing money to prospective voters. The money was carried in a ;Ghana-must-go’ bag. Soyebi assured that the man will be dealt with.

    Reactions have started pouring in, as the results of the election filter in gradually. The National Chairman of APGA, Dr. Victor Umeh, said it was the peaceful atmosphere that surrounded the election was what gave his party victory. While commending the National Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, for a peaceful, free and fair election.

    He said the results so far collated showed that APGA was leading comfortably; adding that anything short of that at the end could lead to anarchy. He also said that APGA had equally won the Idemili North Constituency election, which was conducted to fill the vacuum left by the death of the member who occupied the seat.

    Sen. Joy Emodi while reacting to the development described the governorship election as the best so far in the state. She spoke after voting at her Odoakpu Ward 4, in Onitsha yesterday, said her happiness was that those who were threatening fire and brimstone did not succeed in causing mayhem.

    In Enugu-Ukwu Ward 1, where the Deputy Governor, Dr. Nkem Okeke voted, APGA polled 116 votes, PDP zero and APC 28. Dr. Okeke described the election as free, fair and credible.

    Umeh also expressed satisfaction with the manner the governorship poll were conducted, but he said until what were collated reflected the real votes cast he would not say that the entire process was credible and transparent.

    A total of 4609 polling units were provided by INEC throughout the state for the governorship poll for 2,150, 000 registered voters to exercise their franchise between 8am and 2pm.

     

  • Nwoye accuses Police of harassing APC members

    Nwoye accuses Police of harassing APC members

    The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Con-gress (APC), Dr. Tony Nwoye has raised the alarm over what he called the systematic clampdown of the chieftains and supporters of the APC.

    Nwoye who spoke with journalists shortly after casting his ballot at Ofianta Polling Unit 002 in Nsugbe, Anambra East Local Government Area, alleged that the Police was colluding with ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to compromise the exercise.

    According to the APC candidate, who arrived the polling unit shortly after 12 noon, “I am worried about the intimidation of APC supporters by the Police. They have been arresting key APC chieftains. From the calls I got, Police  have been arresting APC Chairmen. In some other cases our supporters have been brutalized by thugs aided by the Police.”

    He, however, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the preparation and conduct of the election so far, “so far I score INEC 50% but I expect improvement in the areas there are hitches.”

    On his chances, he said, “I am optimistic that APC will win the election at the end of the day.”

     

  • Nwoye, Obiano in neck to neck in Ekwunife’s area

    Governor Willie Obiano of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Dr Tony Nwoye of All Progressives Congress (APC) are running neck to neck in some areas in Anaocha local government Unit 010.

    At Senator Uche Ekwunife’s unit at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church unit 003, APC 46, APGA 39, PDP 24.

    Unit, 001 APC 45, APGA 42 , PDP 22. Unit 002,  APC 22, APGA 34 and APGA 37. Unit 11 APC 32,  PDP 34 and APGA 53.  Saint Mary’s, APC 21,  PDP 11 and APGA 53. Unit  010 APC11, APGA14 and PDP 7

  • Obiano’s, Nwoye’s constituents welcome Ojukwu to APC

    Obiano’s, Nwoye’s constituents welcome Ojukwu to APC

    Eminent persons in Anambra East/West Federal Constituency, home of Governor Willie Obiano and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr. Tony Nwoye, have welcomed the defection of Chief Chukwuemeka Ojukwu Jnr. to the party.

    They said the defection indictment of the governor’s poor governance.

    In a statement yesterday in Awka, the state capital, the eminent persons, under the aegis of Anambra East/West Political Forum, said the defection also reflected the good deeds of Nwoye and the lapses of the Obiano administration.

    The statement, by the group’s coordinator, Chief Peter Anekwe, said: “What happened at today’s (yesterday’s) campaign rally of the APC best reflects the minds of our people on our two sons contesting this weekend’s governorship election. The significance cannot be lost on us.

    “Two of our sons are contesting the election and we dare say the incumbent has done very badly. It is shown by the spate of defections from his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to other parties, notably the APC).

    “That the son of our eternal hero, who bears the torch of the Ojukwu family, has left APGA to join the APC, is indicative of the fact that everyone, everywhere in Anambra has seen the failures of our son, Obiano. It is because of this same assessment that in 2015, when Obiano asked us to support the APGA candidate for the House of Representatives, we refused and rather voted for Nwoye, who has not disappointed us with his quality representation.

    “Who has heard of it anywhere in the country where a sitting governor is represented by an opposition member in the House of Representatives? It is in Anambra East/West Federal Constituency that it happened, mainly because of the poor and divisive governance of Obiano. It gladdens our hearts that what we have been saying all this while has now been appreciated and endorsed by Chief Ojukwu.

    “Our call is to all Anambarians and borne of truth. The two major contestants are our sons and we have no qualms recommending and presenting Nwoye to Ndi Anambra. We know he will do Anambra well, as he has done to us in his limited capacity as a member of the House of Representatives.”

  • Can Nwoye spring a surprise?

    Can Nwoye spring a surprise?

    Ike Chidolue, an engineer, highlights the factors that may tilt the pendulum of victory towards the direction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr. Tony Nwoye, at the poll.

    Not few have been disappointed with the public life that has become the lot of Dr. Tony Nwoye. Those who go to study medicine and become medical doctors are expected to be generally conservative and be calm about the situation around them. Who has not heard the saying that medical doctors are supposed to be cold hearted and are not moved at the sight of the dead?

    However, Dr. Nwoye has refused to go with that narrative. He has combined the compassion of a pastor with the diligence of a medical doctor to address the challenges that face men around him.

    From the beginning when he entered the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus as a medical student the knack for fighting injustice and oppression became evident and remarkably, he almost always came as the underdog.

    A man whose core beliefs constantly pushes him to always fight to change things for the better for the society, and within his environment. This selfless fight led him to the pinnacle of student leadership at the University of Nigeria, to become the speaker of the Student’s Union parliament, and later, as the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). It was indeed a battle of ideas and deep personal sacrifices, which cost him a lot, simply to bring excellence into societal relationship.

    His activism at the University of Nigeria, UNN expectedly led to a complicated relationship with the school authorities. Sometimes it was difficult and sometimes it was cordial. As a student’s leader his demands for justice and for students rights were sometimes viewed with hostility by the authorities.

    However, the departure point seemed to be when the authorities, especially the then vice-chancellor of the school, Prof. Ginigeme Mbanefoh caught Comrade Nwoye’s vision to fight cultism.

    Tony’s role in fighting cultism and formation of student cells to identify cults in the campus became a turning point in the relationship between the Students Union as led by Tony and the university authorities.

    It is noteworthy that the news of what Tony did in UNN soon got to the ears of the then governor of Benue State, Senator George Akume who invited him to also help fight cultism in the state owned Benue State University that was at that time ravaged by cult activities. He was especially commended for his actions by both the UNN and authorities of the Benue State University.

    Is it not an irony that about 15 years after his commendable role in stopping cultism and gangsters activities in Nigerian universities that Tony would be counted as a cultist himself by some politicians who want to score cheap political points?

    Tony I suspect would have been bemused by these insinuations that can be compared with saying that the pope is not a Catholic!

    One great thing about Honorable Tony Nwoye, M.D, is that he keeps faith with any struggle he believes in and identifies with, and this is usually at great personal cost to him. His resilience in any battle, gives him victory at the end of it. His keeping faith, with every idea, he believes and stands with, and not betraying anybody or causes he identifies with, saw him becoming the youngest State Chairman, of a major national political party in Nigeria! During his stewardship as the party Chairman, and against all odds, including the highly unpredictable political landmines in Anambra State politics, Tony at such a tender age, when nobody gave him a chance, led the party to a resounding victory against an incumbent government of APGA, by clearing the entire senatorial seats, House of Representative seats, and an overwhelming majority of the State House of Assembly, seats! All the elections he won, stood the judicial test and only the governorship was not returned, as the Supreme Court said in its judgment, that the tenure of the incumbent had not expired.

    Nwoye’s resilience and strength cannot be in doubt! All his election victories, including his current seat as the House of Representative member, have always been as the underdog, as an opposition to the status quo! Honorable Tony Nwoye has the character, the intelligence, the resilience, the youthfulness, and the vision required in building the Anambra of the future!

    This present political battle to save the heart and soul of Anambra State is necessitated by his customary quest to change things for the better, whenever the society is drifting astray.

    Governor Willie Obiano’s report card can be clearly gleaned from how he has performed with respect to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) now the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index. We all are aware that the MDG/SDG aims amongst other benchmarks, to lift as many people in the society as possible out of poverty, and degradation.

  • ‘Nwoye ‘ll be a good governor, says Ekwueme’

    ‘Nwoye ‘ll be a good governor, says Ekwueme’

    Dr. Peter Ekwueme is the Secretary of the Enugu State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). In this interview with reporters in Enugu, the state capital, he speaks on the chances of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr. Tony Nwoye, in the November 18 poll election. Excerpts:

    You are a medical doctor. Why are you so interested in social and political issues?

    I do think that man is both a social and political being before being a doctor.

    Indeed to shy away from the reality of our social interaction and political participation is to live life sub-optimally. Not only have I made a conscious choice to engage myself in these concerns, I urge every person to realise it is our civic responsibility to do so if we really are serious about contributing to shaping the society and participating in nation building.

    How well do you know the APC candidate given the articles you have been publishing about him?

    Dr Tony Nwoye is someone I have known forever. Our paths crossed way back in our pre university days. He was in Metropolitan College Onitsha while I was in Christ the king College (C. K. C).

    Being a very intelligent and socially active person, Tony was a constant feature in the inter-school contests. He led his school in quiz competitions, debates, JET club contests and the likes. I led mine in same events. So we started off as adversaries really but had mutual respect for each other.

    We got into the same College Of Medicine UNN, played our parts in the Medical Students Association of our Alma matter UNMSA, SUG and the likes. Because of his natural gift for leadership, man management and organization, Tony became an instant hit, dusted his contemporaries and those that came even before him. The rest is now history.

    So, I knew him first as an adversary. But we grew to be comrades sharing the same trenches. Our interaction has never looked back since then.

    What was it like being a medical student and being involved in students’ politics?

    An interesting question. It is the toughest life to live. Your classmates view you with some suspicion as someone who does not know why he is in school. Your teachers are sure you shouldn’t have been in that field of study. But to the credit of characters like Tony Nwoye, he had the conviction and passion to pursue what was clear in his mind was his life purpose. Some of us were not as tenacious as he was with it. But looking back at what he has achieved and the impact he’s made in his society, there can be no doubt that he made the ‘rightest’ possible choice as regard his path.

    So, can a medical doctor be a good governor?

    The people of his constituency can best answer that question. He has represented them in the past two years and you can hear them say that they have never had it so good. It is not surprising and you should not forget that he represents the governor’s in the House of Representatives. Despite the fact that the governor was in office, his people rejected his APGA candidate because of Nwoye and that tells you they saw something in him.

    Given his emergence as a student’s union leader, is it true that he was a cultist as some political rivals have alleged?

    Nothing can be further from the truth. You see when political opponents have nothing to say, they resort to baseless propaganda and cheap blackmails.

    Tony all through his stay in school never had any issue with the security department of the school. In our days, you cannot contest any election in school if you are reckoned a cultist. In fact such charge was the easiest way for the school authorities to get back at troublesome student leaders. It speaks so much about how far removed from cultism Tony was that the school authorities could not even label him with that. I mean that would have been such an easy way of stopping his participation in SUG politics. But they just couldn’t because the young man was so clean of such.

    It is a fact that he has never been accused of cultism while there. He has never been charged for that anywhere in his time. Any of his contemporaries in school who is honest can attest to this.

    Do you believe he would do well as governor of Anambra State?

    I have no doubt whatsoever that Anambra in Dr. Tony Nwoye’s hands will experience its best run of governance ever. Tony is someone who prepared himself for leadership. He is an excellent manager and knows how to distill from an assemblage of great talents the very best for the good of the society. More than any other person in this race, he possesses the best resume as far leadership is concerned.

    Do you belong to any political party?

    I do belong to a political party. I have always belonged to one at every point in time. But let me quickly clarify that I’m not one whose thought process and worldview is restricted by party affiliation. Not in the least. I have a much more robust and expansive view of politics way beyond party lines especially in the context of the peculiarities of our polity where the ideological divides between the parties are ever so blurry. But we will get there.

    What expectations do you have of him as governor?

    I urge him to remain true to his person and his deals as he had been in the myriads of positions he had served in the past. He should remember that it is his past performance that keeps making way for him to soar higher and higher.

    I expect him to continue making his focus the masses, the poor and the dispossessed. I expect him to maintain focus on the youths, empower and equipment them to unleash their immeasurable potentials which should catapult our economy to enviable heights.

    I expect Dr. Tony Nwoye to carry on in office with the same humility, the same focus and the same servant leader disposition that have made him to excel in his past calls to service.

    Any other comments on Nwoye and the contest in Anambra?

    I urge Dr Tony Nwoye and his teeming supporters which grow by the day not to relent. They should continue to sustain their grassroot spread and dominance for truly power belongs to the people.It is my conviction that if the current  tempo is sustained, Tony will emerge victorious cone November 18th and Anambra will enter into its most peaceful, most progressive and most prosperous era in history. That is the Tony Nwoye promise. As Dr Tony and his teeming supporters like to  assert as their slogan/battle cry, the future is now!

  • Anambra: Nwoye assures minority Igala of good deal

    Anambra: Nwoye assures minority Igala of good deal

    All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Anambra State, Dr. Tony Nwoye, has assured the Igala in the state that the time of their neglect from the scheme of things will be over, if he wins the November 18 election.

    Nwoye spoke when his campaign team took its rally to the coastal areas of Anambra West Local Government Area, occupied by indigenous Igala.

    The APC chieftain met with them at Uzam.

    He scheduled another meeting with other Igala-speaking residents at Umueze Anam.

    Nwoye was the area’s representative in the House of Representatives.

    The politician won the National Assembly election despite the opposition by Governor Willie Obiano of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and an indigene of Anambra East/West Federal Constituency.

    A statement by his campaign spokesman Nonso Madu quoted representatives of the people as applauding Dr. Nwoye for being the first serious governorship candidate to visit them and for his past representation of their interests in the House of Representatives.

    Nowye pledged to put smiles on the faces of the indigenes.

    The APC candidate said he would not take them for granted, like the previous administrations.

    He said: “I am part of you; I have been your representative. I know what you are passing through. Your marginalisation under Willie Obiano is special because he does not make any pretence about it. For some other people, he could lie that he did this or he did that. But for you, he just acts as if you do not exist.

    “But I know you exist, and as your representative, I have done my little in bringing some projects here. But I assure you that as governor with executive powers,  I will wipe away your tears.”

    Many of the residents took turns to show appreciation for his representation in the House of Representatives.

    They praised him for his inclusive policies, adding that he was the first person to extend political appointments to the people.

     

  • ‘Nwoye is best for Anambra’

    ‘Nwoye is best for Anambra’

    Perhaps, it is the heart in him to study medicine that has also inspired his inclination to the welfare of the men that come his way.

    Dr. Tony Nwoye’s hatred for injustice and defence for the oppressed was something that we saw in him from Medical School at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus.

    It is as such an irony to hear the labyrinth of bare-faced lies and wicked albeit puerile propaganda being churned out by those on the verge of losing out as a result of the imminent ascendance to position of this humble man. That is why instead of stemming the tide of his followerhip, those poorly concocted lies are even fuelling the swelling of his ranks by the young, the old, the widows and the dispossessed who clamour for a change of baton in the leadership of our dear state.

    In University of Nigeria Enugu Campus Tony was more concerned with resisting oppressive policies of the school authority than he was about taking up any leadership position. His forte really was mobilising students against intimidation be it by external forces or the school authorities. He was a Students’ rights activist. Tony championed the movement that sought to, and eventually did restore, students’ right to freely associate. Not even the bait repeatedly thrown to him by authorities that he will be appointed into an interim SUG government by the school authority if he will drop his agitation for a truly free democratic student movement could deter him.  He quipped that he was not interested in leading the students but more interested in ensuring that students are free to lead themselves. His masterly prosecution of the resistance directly led to the lifting of the ban that was in place on Student unionism. A ban that preceded his entry into the campus as a student!

    Tony was content that the ban on unionism has been lifted and, true to his natural inclination, was not keen on taking up any political position afterwards. Rather he was scouting for those to lead the students. He went about talking to students he felt had the capacity to come forward and lead so he can drift back to the background from where he prefers to play. Vintage Tony Nwoye, imbued with uncommon humility, like the true General he is, does not hug the headlines. He prefers to lead from behind and is ever content with playing the supportive role so long as he identifies those capable of leading.

    But in fulfilment of the timeless truth that ‘a gold fish has no hiding place’, the entire students especially the political class, of the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus were unrelenting in their clamour for young Tony to play a pivotal role in the Students Union Government. They were assertive that they could trust no one better than him to represent the students’ interest. That was how most reluctantly, Tony was drafted into the race for the speakership of SUG House of Rep. The entire Students body rooted for him. And to the eternal consternation of all other aspirants, Tony won the contest in a landslide victory. He dusted older and more established student politicians in the race to emerge *the first Medical student Speaker of the SUG house of Rep in UNN’s history. And he was only in his 2nd year!

    In NANS, it was the same story. He was a loyal follower for years. He was just content with mobilising support for the best candidates to emerge leaders at every election year. The master strategist Tony gifted with uncommon wisdom and futuristic vision, seeing how the NANS political landscape is skewed against the emergence of the Igbo man started mobilising and strategising for the enthronement of geopolitical rotation of the NANS’ top job. Owing to his antecedents in dedicated service to the foremost student body, he was in due course pressured by the people to present himself for the top job. When after much resistance (as he hithertho insisted he would rather operate from the background), he eventually obliged them, and they, against all odds, mobilised to make this child of destiny the ‘first Igbo man to emerge a president of National Association of Nigerian Students.’

    The foregoing leaves any discerning mind that Dr Tony Nwoye is essentially an activist pressurised into politics by the people.

    In Anambra politics, he was urged to appropriate for himself the Senate slot as the then state party chairman of PDP which held sway at the time, he flatly turned it down. Folks were cajoling him that ‘opportunity comes but once’. That he should use the instrumentality of his office to favour himself. But Mr. Fair and Just, ever so focused and humble, Dr Tony Nwoye stood his ground that he will not take up any position, being content with steering the ship of the party towards ensuring the emergence of the party’s candidates at the polls. And this he achieved to the admiration of all. He did not bend the rules to favour his twin brother to pick up the House of Rep ticket, counseling his own very twin brother that it was not the turn of their people to go for the position! That’s the man for you!

    One could go on and on about this man and his natural disinclination to seek for himself political power. It is indeed a testament to his being destined for the top that the more he shies away from Leadership and prominent positions, the more they beckon on him. It validates the notion that ‘power belongs to God and he gives it to whom he pleases.

    Let’s support this natural activist that, by popular clamour, gravitated into politics. He will reposition Anambra state for its best run of good governance in history. This is our best chance ever.

    Dr Peter Ekwueme, a medical doctor and a sociopolitical analyst writes from Enugu.

    Dr Ekwueme the Secretary of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Enugu State branch.

  • I won’t betray Aguata, Anambra political leaders, says Nwoye

    Anambra State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Tony Nwoye, has pledged not to dash the hope the people placed in him with his endorsement by two prominent political groups – the Anambra Political Stakeholders’ Forum and Leaders of Thought of Aguata II (North) Constituency.

    The two groups, in separate communiqués, endorsed Nwoye ahead of the November 18 governorship poll through different dispatches to him, a statement by the Tony Nwoye Campaign said yesterday.

    The Anambra Political Stakeholders Forum, with Okey Umeano as chairman and Nnamdi Mekoh as Secretary, wrote to Nwoye that the group had adopted him as its candidate for the election.

    Quoting from the endorsement letter, dated October 25, Anambra Political Stakeholders Forum said “subject to further discussion with you, has adopted you as its candidate for the governorship election on November 18 and will mobilise, not only our members but the entire political class to vote you in”.

    A similar endorsement by the Elders and Leaders of Thought of Aguata II (North) State Constituency reportedly happened at its meeting on October 10.

    The group said it resolved that the interests of the people of the area would be best projected and protected by Dr. Nwoye as governor.

    The communiqué said: “The Aguata North Political Forum is of a strong opinion that its interests and aspirations in the present political dispensation will be best actualised, protected and advanced through the APC platform by supporting the governorship ambition of Dr. Tny Nwoye.

    “Aguata North Political Forum has found in Dr. Nwoye, the APC governorship candidate a soul mate to work with because of his people-oriented policies he intends to execute for the good people of Anambra State when elected governor in the November 18 election.

    “We in Aguata North Political Forum hereby adopt and endorse the APC governorship candidate, Dr. Nwoye, as our candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State on November 18.”

    Responding to the endorsements, Nwoye said: “These were endorsements not just of my person but of my policies and promises. By God’s grace, I pledge not to disappoint these highly placed individuals and groups who have reposed their confidence in me.

    “I am fired up by the fact that such respected personalities from across Anambra and the elders of the people of Aguata, who have been so disappointed by the failure of governance under the APGA government, have found in me and my party a platform to stem the rot in the state.”