The APGA gubernatorial candidate in Nasarawa State, Mr. Labaran Maku has been described as Nasarawa’s brightest hope for focused and purposeful governance in the coming elections.
Receiving Mr. Maku at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia, the Governor of Anambra State who is also the National Chairman of the Board of Trustees of APGA described Maku as a great patriot who had served Nigeria meritoriously in his past capacity as the Minister of Information and someone whose innate leadership abilities should be of great benefit to the people of Nasarawa State.
According to governor Obiano, Maku’s excellent pedigree marks him out as a worthy addition to the cast of thoroughbred Nigerians that APGA had assembled to transform Nigeria in the coming political dispensation and one which Nasarawa people must latch onto in order to leapfrog their state to a new height of development.
Said he; “I was delighted when I heard that Labaran was joining our great party. He had done a great job in his previous capacity serving the presidency and the nation. We welcome you with open arms into APGA. Let me assure the Nasarawa State chapter of APGA that we shall give you the support you need to win in the coming elections so that from that platform you will help us to propagate our philosophy of be thy brother’s and sister’s keeper. We shall soon have four new governors and Nasarawa will be one of them, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia, Zamfara will all be part of it. APGA will soon metamorphose into a great Nigerian party.”
Governor Obiano further observed that in general, APGA was presenting a team of credible and accomplished Nigerians who had distinguished themselves in various fields of human endeavor and made remarkable contributions to nation-building and urged Nigerians to queue behind the party to ensure a more prosperous country.
He noted that victory for any APGA candidate would translate to a new lease of life to the people and the promotion of the tested philosophies of the party which have manifested fully in Anambra State in the last nine years.
The governor also urged the people of Nasarawa State to give Mr. Maku a chance to plant the party’s ideals of good governance in Nasarawa State and watch their state make a rapid progression into a frontline member of the Nigerian union.
Also lauding Mr. Maku, the National Chairman of the party, Chief victor Umeh observed that with his wealth of experience and youthful enthusiasm, Nasarawa State would be transformed into a major stakeholder in the Nigerian enterprise, noting that since Maku joined the party, there had been an exodus of other party members into APGA because of his clout and the promise he holds to the Nasarawa people.
Chief Umeh urged the people of the state to vote for Maku and witness the much awaited rebirth of their beloved state.
Earlier in his remarks, the APGA Gubernatorial Candidate had assured that APGA was on course to wrestle power from the ruling party and rescue Nasarawa State from years of violence and wanton destruction, lamenting that the present leadership had split the once peaceful state along fractious religious lines.
Mr. Maku assured that when he assumes office as the next governor of Nasarawa State, he would restore the organic unity between the people of the South East and the North Central which had been vital to the stability of the country in the past.
He lauded Governor Obiano’s leadership qualities which he said had made a bold statement for all the candidates running for an elective position on the platform of the party. Mr. Maku also applauded the contributions of Ndigbo to nation-building saying that, “If the Igbos in Nasarawa do not open the markets in various parts of Nasarawa every morning, State our people will not wake up.”
Mr Maku further observed that Igbos living in Nasarawa State had become a part and parcel of the state. Said he; “The Igbos in Nasarawa State are now indigenous to our state. Many of them have invested their life savings in developing our state. So we want to assure you that this relationship will increase the participation of the Igbo community in the development of Nasarwa state.”
He also assured the governor of his loyalty to his leadership of the party, emphasizing that, ‘As your brothers from the North Central of Nigeria, we shall stand side by side with you to build this party. We shall do everything we can to support you so that this party will not be seen as an Igbo party but a national party. Given what you are doing now, I am sure that after February 28, you will not be the only APGA governor. I believe Nasarawa will join you. I believe Zamfara will join you, Even Ogun will join you. Of course it is clear to us that Imo and Abia are there already. So, we shall become the party with the largest number of governors outside the big two. I assure you that come February 28, APGA will be the ruling party in Nasarawa State.”