By Michael Nnebife
As the build-up to the 2025 Gubernatorial Election in Anambra State continues to gain momentum across the state, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in Ichida, Anaocha Local Government Area of the state, has welcomed back one of her strongest stalwarts who left the party, for the Labour Party during the last general elections, Hon Osita Ozalagba, who says his return to APGA is a homecoming.
Ozalagba, the pioneer National President, Anambra State Association of Town Unions, ASATU, youth wing, rejoined APGA alongside some of his disciples who included Honourables Ukochukwu Dunu, Chika Ezemoka, Tochukwu Onwuka, Uchenna Ezughokwe, Anayo Ezeh, among others.
Addressing APGA critical stakeholders and members in Ichida Wards I and II in a mini-ceremony tagged, ”Homecoming of Ossy Ozalagba”, the ASATU pioneer president, who described his defection from APGA as a sabbatical leave, rolled out the reasons for his action and why he decided to make a U-turn to APGA, which, he noted, was his political home where he was born and brought up.
‘I vied for state house (in 2019), but we were not allowed to follow democratic process of conducting primary election by the party (APGA) leadership then.
‘The then leadership of the party was merchandizing the tickets of the party.
‘This also happened in 2014; so, at a time I decided to go on a sabbatical because of the way the party was run,’ Hon Ozalagba said, pointing out that his primary intention was not to leave, but to use another party’s ticket to win an election and thereafter return to APGA.
Ozalagba however said ‘Apart from this and the fact that Governor Chukwuma Soludo is performing wonderfully well, activities of APGA as they are now, are one of the best things and areas the governor has done well.
‘He has corrected the anomalies that characterized the party in the past.
‘So, I am 100% sure that APGA is now a new party for the people, generally; not for the few,’ Ozalagba said, adding that his return to his APGA was for him to fully support the governor, not only in his ongoing development strides, but also for his second term ambition.
‘I am surprised and overwhelmed by the performance of Prof Soludo in just a short period of two years in office.
‘What he is doing has never been done by any governor before in Nigeria.
‘To the governors, a first term is usually a period of planning on what projects to be done in a second term.
‘But, in a very short time of just two years, Prof Soludo has done a lot, surpassing his predecessors who stayed eight years.
‘Politics aside, I keep on telling people that Prof Soludo has beautified governance in Anambra State.
‘When I was leading Anambra youths, we were appealing to the governments of the days to initiate an economic empowerment programme that would be community-oriented.
‘This appeal, however, was not considered, but when Prof Soludo took over the governance of Anambra State, he considered it through 1 Youth, 2 Skills Acquisition Programme.
‘When he was campaigning, he promised us that he would appoint a young person from among us, the Anambra Youths, a Commissioner for Youth Development.
‘He fulfilled the promise by appointing my successor, Mr Patrick Aghamba, a Commissioner for Youth Development,’ the ex-ASATU leader said.
According to him, Prof Soludo brought free education that was real, not the one in which the parents of pupils were extorted through the back side.
‘This is the first time non-indigenes in Anambra State Civil Service were appointed permanent secretaries in the service, showing Prof Soludo’s exemplary belief in all-inclusiveness, for meritocracy and value for society,’ Ozalagba said, highlighting road infrastructure, security of life and property, human capital development through 1 Youth, 2 Skills Acquisition Programme, free antenatal and delivery services for pregnant women in Anambra, massive employment of teachers and health workers, as areas Governor Soludo had performed exceedingly well.
He expressed gratitude to the stakeholders and the entire members of APGA for accepting him back, and assured that his return would be an added value to the party for future electoral victory.
He advised APGA members whose faith was shaky and who were playing anti-party games to retrace their steps.
The ceremony which took place on Friday 24th May, was attended by the National Chairman of the party, Barr Sly Ezeokenwa, represented by his Chief of Protocol, Hon Okey Iloanya; the Anambra State Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr Aghamba; his Health counterpart, Dr Afam Obidike; the Chairman, Anambra State Sports Commission, Hon Patrick Onyedum; and an Ichida APGA stalwart, Chief Innocent Chikezie.
Others included some immediate past local government transition committee chairmen; the executive members of APGA, Anaocha Local Government Area, led by her Chairman, Chief Anthony Ugorji; the members of the party in Ichida Wards I and II; the members of Ochendo Vanguard; Onitsha political allies of Hon Ozalagba, among others.
In their separate remarks, the Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr Aghamba; his Health counterpart, Dr Obidike; and the Chairman, Anambra State Sports Commission, Hon Onyedum, commended Ozalagba for taking the decision to return to APGA, describing it as a right step in a right direction.
They described Ozalagba as a go-getter, grandmaster of grassroots politics, and good party man with capacity, assuring him of total reabsorption into the APGA family.
In an interview with the press, the Founder of Ochendo Vanguard, Chief Chikezie, said that APGA was waxing stronger for being able to get back her strong member after many years of his sojourn in another party.
Chief Chikezie expressed the hope that other members of APGA who had left for LP and PDP, would soon follow in Ozalagba’s footsteps.
Handing over APGA’s membership card, and uniform by Anaocha Local Government and Ichida Wards I and II party chairmen, climaxed the event.
