Anambra guber: Moghalu picks LP nomination forms, promises to win

• Abure assures of free, fair, transparent primary

From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

Former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Dr. George Moghalu, has purchased the Labour Party (LP) N30 million expression of interest and nomination forms to contest the Anambra State off-cycle governorship election.

Speaking after LP National Chairman, Julius Abure, personally presented him with the forms on Tuesday, Moghalu assured that he will not only win the party primary but will also emerge victorious after defeating the incumbent governor, Charles Soludo, in the overall election.

Earlier, before presenting the forms, the party’s chairman assured that the national leadership would guarantee a transparent, free, and fair primary.

Abure said: “I want to assure you that you have taken the right decision, and we want to assure you that the Anambra State primary will be free, fair, and credible. Party members in Anambra will determine who becomes the governorship candidate of the party. Abuja will not dictate who becomes the candidate. It is the people, LP members in Anambra State.

“I want to enjoin and admonish that it is a good thing to pick the form, but you need to go back and sell yourself to the members of the party. You need to work to endear yourself to members of the party, who will ultimately have the power to nominate who becomes the governorship candidate in the state. Without sounding immodest, I want to congratulate you and wish you the best of luck,” he said.

Responding, Moghalu said: “I want to thank you and the party’s leadership. For me, it is a privilege to run under the platform of LP because one may decide to run on the platform of a party, and it refuses to accept you. It is not about paying for the forms but being accepted by the people you want to buy the form from.

“I am elated, and I want to sincerely thank you. I gave you assurance the first time I came to the Secretariat that I am a party man. I understand the dynamics, having served in the party secretariat. My loyalty to wherever I belong cannot be questioned, and people that know me were surprised that I was able to change a political party platform because this is actually the first time I am joining another party.

“I have always remained in one party since the inception of this democratic dispensation. But I had to leave for LP because, in every political consideration, two factors are critical.

“One is the party, the second is the person. For the person, you can take the decision alone, consulting your family, but when it has to do with the platform, you have to consider your political associates, supporters, friends, and look at the political reality on the ground where you are coming from. After the considerations, LP was the best option for me.

“I am very confident that the party platform will provide us with the enabling environment for political contestation. Ambition is not war or a fight because, at the end of the day, one person will fly the flag of the party in Anambra State. It is my wish and confidence in God that I will be that person.

“The assurance I want to give you today is that I will not betray the confidence reposed in me. I will not let you down. I will go with LP, I will win with the party, and I will represent LP very well. You will be confident enough to say this is your candidate,” he said.