Anambra Deputy Gov., Okeke, Says I Won’t Resign My Position

The Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Nkem Okeke who recently decamped from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that he will not resign his position as deputy governor as some people have advised.

Okeke who spoke to journalists at the  Government House,  Awka, the first time he was visiting his office since after his defection said his principal, Governor Willie Obiano treated him badly, if not wickedly, but he endured waiting for the right time to resign from the party.

In an interview with some journalists on Friday Okeke said he left because he was totally sidelined from the running of the government and from the party, to the extent that he didn’t know of anything happening in a government where he held the number two position.

He said: “Within the period I have been very loyal to my boss, but I have been unfairly treated, so I decided to leave the party.

“For four years, I drove one Prado jeep. At a stage, I was the only deputy governor in the country who drove a Prado. I was loyal to him and represented him in a lot of places.

“The only time I refused to represent him was when Dr. Chike Akunyili was killed and when he sent me to Enugu, I told him I needed security and also a bullet proof vehicle, and when they didn’t provide that, I decided not to go”.

“I have heard people asking me to resign, but I will never resign. The decision I made to join the APC is in my interest, the interest of my family and also in the best interest of members of my constituency, Njikoka, which I represent.

“I have people who have advised me that the position I hold is not for me alone, but for the people of my constituency, so I represent them.

“I was elected on the same ticket with the governor of Anambra State, and I did not beg him to choose me as his running mate for a second time; it was he who came to me and said I will run with him for a second term and we won.”

He also denied the allegation that he was lured with a huge sum of money to join the APC.

Okeke said that he gave three conditions to leaders of APC and that two had been met.

He listed the three conditions as; defecting before President Muhammadu Buhari, a bulletproof vehicle, and a federal appointment after his tenure as deputy governor, which he said was the only pending condition.

He added: “I was already thinking of joining the APC after my tenure as deputy governor, but when APC people came to me and I told them so, they said it was better for me to join now, as I could add to their victory. I gave them three conditions and they accepted.”

Speaking on the chances of APC in next Saturday’s election, Okeke said the chances of the party are high, and that its candidate too, has a greater chance of winning the election while describing him as the best option for the state.