Minister of Labour
and Employment, Senator (Dr) Chris Ngige on Saturday dismissed claims that he
has been mobilizing to replace Willie Obiano as Governor of Anambra State.
A top APC source in
Anambra State, had anonymously, claimed that the
Minister had received the nod of the leadership of ruling All Progressives
Congress (APC) and was waiting for the blessing of President Muhammadu Buhari
before declaring his ambition publicly
But in a statement,
Senator Ngige warned governorship aspirants in Anambra State to leave him alone
and mind their business.
In the statement
signed by his media aide, Emmanuel Nzomiwu, Dr Ngige, a former Governor and
Senator, said he was too occupied with his duties currently as a member of
Economic Sustainability Committee headed by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and
member of Federal Cabinet Committee for implementation of Economic Recovery,
aside his duties as Minister of Labour and Employment.
Ngige said he owed
no apology to anybody for pitching tent with loyal and faithful members of APC
in Anambra State from inception in 2012, who were once tagged “Boko Haram
members” for supporting their great party.
Ngige said he has no
regrets recommending such committed and steadfast party members for federal
appointments allocated to the State.
The statement read
in part:
“The attention of
the Hon Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Dr Chris Ngige OON has been
drawn to a news item that the Minister wants to contest and have been
mobilising to replace the incumbent Governor Obiano.
“Although this
report was not credited to anybody in particular, the Minister wants to make it
clear that he has not at any time told anybody that he wants to contest for the
Anambra governorship seat, neither has he overtly or covertly shown any
interest.
“Senator Ngige
wishes to make it known that he is very busy with his duties as the Honourable
Minister of Labour and Employment and member of Federal Cabinet in charge of
the various parastatals and other establishments under the Ministry
“The Minister is
occupied, involved and engrossed with his duties as a member of Economic
Sustainability Committee constituted by President Buhari and headed by Vice
President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, to develop a comprehensive and clear
economic plan to tackle the challenges and fallouts of COVID-19 and post
COVID-19 era; and member of the Federal Cabinet Committee for implementation of
Economic Recovery.
“All these are
besides other demanding engagements of office of the Minister of Labour and
Employment.”
On the issue of
federal appointments given to Anambra State, the Minister made it clear that he
owed no apology to the unknown member of APC or any other person for dwelling
with people who had suffered for the party.
Ngige said he had no
regrets identifying those who laboured and campaigned for the party when people
called APC, Boko Haram party, and not to talk of original members of the
defunct legacy parties that merged to form APC, namely, the Action Congress of
Nigeria (ACN), the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Congress for
Progressive Change (CPC).
The statement
continued: “The report linking me to Anambra governorship is imagination of the
said unknown APC chieftain. Those who want to campaign for governorship should
leave Dr Ngige alone.
“Appointments are
usually based on qualifications, credibility unalloyed loyalty to the party and
her leadership. Same goes for empowerment in various forms which he had and is
still doing as Senator and Minister.
“Just last January
4, 2020 about 4000bags of 25kg rice, 2000 cartons of tomatoes were distributed
to APC faithfuls and Stakeholders on all the 21LGAs and three Senatorial
districts just before the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2013, he has been offering
scholarships to children of APC members and other Anambra indigenes in
secondary and tertiary educational institutions and they are still running till
date. Once chance avails him, he will immediately come down to distribute his
COVID-19 palliative for party members, churches and all segments of Anambra
people through his foundation.”
For the anonymous
party source, Ngige said it was obvious that he was one of the recent gate
crashers’ coming to displace older members on patronage.
He, however, advised
the unknown party source and others like him, to wait a bit more for their
turn, especially if they did not contribute to making the President win his
last election by at least winning their ward.
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