A former senatorial aspirant for Abia North Senatorial District under the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Philips Nto, has charged former councillors in Arochukwu Local Government Area to mobilise grassroots support to ensure victory for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC in the forthcoming elections.
Prof. Nto said the re-election of President Tinubu would ensure the continuity of his economic reforms and consolidate the gains towards sustainable development across the country.
He gave the charge when former councillors from different political parties paid him a solidarity visit.
The former Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning, who is also a member of the Presidential Campaign Council and Director of Election Planning, Coordination and Monitoring of the APC in Abia State, urged the former councillors to embark on aggressive grassroots campaigns to promote the president and the party.
He expressed confidence that his earlier projection of 70 per cent votes for President Tinubu from Abia State would be achieved, stressing that the immediate target should be to secure victory at the polling unit and ward levels.
Nto recalled that during his keynote address at the inauguration of the Presidential Campaign Council in Abia, he maintained that the South-East should reciprocate President Tinubu’s gestures towards the region by giving him 70 per cent of its votes.
The former Provost of Abia State College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu, and former World Bank consultant, also urged the former councillors to remain vigilant and protect their votes against intimidation.
He, however, cautioned them against violence, irrespective of the level of provocation during the electoral process.
Nto urged them to support the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, whom he said had consistently advocated credible elections and peaceful political participation.
He noted that Kalu had been preaching against electoral malpractice and violence, urging the former councillors to embrace his position.
Earlier, speaking on behalf of the delegation, Hon. Chris Obasi Egbebu said the former councillors embarked on the solidarity visit to congratulate Prof. Nto on his appointments as a member of the Presidential Campaign Council and Director of Election Management and Coordination in Abia State.
Egbebu said the appointments had brought pride to Arochukwu LGA and Abia North, describing Nto as a dependable leader who had consistently delivered on responsibilities entrusted to him.
He disclosed that the former councillors had resolved to work for the APC and President Tinubu, citing their trust, confidence and respect for Prof. Nto as the motivation behind their decision.
The former councillors urged him to sustain his contributions towards the political development of Abia State and appealed to him to ensure their adequate involvement in the party’s electioneering activities.
They expressed optimism that their collective efforts would help the APC secure victory across Arochukwu Local Government Area.
