By Ifeoma Ejiofor
Former gubernatorial aspirant under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Chief Rommy Okoli (Akajiugo Ukpor and Ozioma Nnewi) says he has no regret throwing his support behind Mr Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Okoli who endorsed the PDP candidate just before the election said he was happy the election went without security hitches and that he had no personal issues with the winner Prof. Chukwuma Soludo who according to him is also eminently qualified for the job.
He however expressed worry over the low turnout of voter during the guber election which voters participation rate he said was about 10 per cent of total registered voters in Anambra State.
Okoli, a former chairman of Nnewi South Local Government Area, noted that the election was characterised by imperfect application of the Bimodal Voter Authentication System (BVAS) and poor deployment of electoral officials and materials to voting centres.
According to him, “at the voting centres in my ward, Umunnaga Hall, Ebe Village, Ward 4, Ukpor where we had four polling units with over 3,000 registered voters, we did not see electoral officials and materials. We did not vote at all through out the election and it is like that in many places in the state. We expected that they would make it up on Tuesday but they only went to Ihiala.
“I don’t have any personal issue with Soludo; he is qualified; my concern is with the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), my conscience would not have judged me fairly if I had supported my former party.
“I saw in Mr Valentine Ozigbo as the man who can change the narrative of Anambra State, I have no regret supporting him in the governorship election. He is still young and the future is promising, he remains the leader Anambra is waiting for.’ He pointed out.
Okoli popularly called ‘Ozioma Nnewi’ said he was retiring from partisan politics and would spend the rest of his time speaking against bad leadership and injustice for his people.
He called on the winner of the guber polls, Prof. Soludo to see his victory as a challenge and opportunity to change the leadership history of Anambra State adding that expectations on him are high.
“Like I said before the election, I am going into voluntary retirement.” Chief Okoli concluded.