The national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has said the party has initiated moves to de-marginalise Igbos to place them in the limelight of national politics.

Mr Ganduje made the assertion on Sunday during the APC South-East zonal meeting in Abakaliki, noting that Igbos had shown massive support to the party and the President Bola Tinubu-led administration presently.

The APC national chairman said that though a line must be drawn between marginalisation and low performance of the South-East in the APC, the party had decided to break the vicious cycle of marginalisation.

“The present appointments offered the zone by President Bola Tinubu’s administration is heartwarming and with more involvement in the party’s affairs, more would be achieved.

“We must break this cycle of marginalisation with determination, unity and total support to the party and President Bola Tinubu led administration, he said.

He noted that Ebonyi had followed Imo’s trail in massively promoting the party’s activities and thanked Gov. Francis Nwifuru for sustaining the party’s ideals in the state.

“The challenge before us presently is how to claim Anambra, Enugu and Abia and we must get all stakeholders together to achieve this goal.

Mr Nwifuru of Ebonyi thanked the party’s leaders for honouring the meeting in the state, noting that the party is presently rooted in the state and South-East.

Mr Nwifuru noted that Ebonyi had a policy of inclusiveness, which made all stakeholders in the state presently under the APC roof.

“The massive defection of opposition stakeholders to APC on July 13 attests to the fact that persuasion works more than bickering and fighting,” he said.

Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo, in his remark, said it is an ugly coincidence that the APC is ruling Nigeria during these hard times, which are occasioned by the world economic meltdown.

The chairman of the South-East Governors Forum said that many citizens of the country experience excruciating hardship, with some going into penury.

“People have to know that there is global economic meltdown with some currencies exchanging 15,000 and 20,000 to one dollar.

“I, however, have hope that if the tested policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration are well implemented, Nigerians will receive the much-needed succour., he said.

The deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, in his remarks, urged people of the South-East zone to identify with the federal government’s efforts to de-marginalise the zone.

“President Bola Tinubu has given Ndigbo more than the vote cast for him during the elections.

“It is presently left for us to repay him for his good works because when one shows appreciation, he gets more,” he said.

He noted that the president offered Igbos lucrative positions in his government as high-ranking ministers and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, among others.

“The process for the South Southeast Development commission bill, which would solve the numerous challenges confronting Igbos, has been finalised and awaiting the president’s accent,” he said.

(NAN)