A chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Imo, Mr Nduka Anyanwu, has called for the zoning of the party’s national chairmanship position to Imo.

Mr Anyanwu, the party’s House of Assembly candidate for Ahiazu state constituency of Imo in the 2023 general elections, made the call in an interaction with newsmen in Owerri, on Saturday.

The legislator made the call against the backdrop of the party’s forthcoming congress.

He argued that Abia and Imo had produced the party’s chairmen at different times, hence it was morally and idealistically right to zone the position to Imo.

He said his reason was that Imo was the next state in the South East with the most significant contributions and sacrifices for the growth of the party.

He called on the party’s national chairman, Chief Victor Oye and Anambra’s Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo to save the soul of APGA.

He further urged them to make it a formidable political party by considering the need to zone its national chairmanship position outside Anambra in its forthcoming congress.

This, he said, would attract more interest to the party from persons in other parts of the southeast and Nigeria at large.

“APGA is a pan-Igbo party, no doubt and every Igbo man is intrinsically an APGA member.

“To realise the project of making APGA a formidable party within the South East, especially and other zones in general, there is every need to give each state a sense of belonging.

“Chief Chekwas Okorie from Abia was the first National Chairman of APGA and after him came Sir Victor Umeh of Anambra, who chaired the party for a period of twelve years.

“If you add the 12 years of Sir Victor Umeh to eight years of the outgoing Victor Oye, Anambra would have held the National Chairmanship position of APGA for 20 years.

“Since Anambra has done well in the chairmanship position for the past 20 years, it will be a great disservice to other states and the party, if the position is not moved out of Anambra,” he said.

Mr Anyanwu, however, said he had no intentions of contesting leadership positions in the party.

He noted that there were reputable men and women in Imo, who have fought using their hard-earned resources over the years to ensure the party’s sustenance hence the need to consider them for the position.

(NAN)