President Muhammadu Buhari effectively shut down Awka, capital of Anambra state on Wednesday when he participated in the grand finale rally of All Progressives Congress (APC) at Alex Ekwueme square candidate calling for massive votes for Honourable Tony Nwoye, at the gubernatorial polls on Saturday, November 18.
President Buhari spoke as Minister of Labour and Productivity and as well former Governor of Anambra state, Dr. Chris Ngige, signed a surety for good governance of the state if Tony Nwoye wins.
Buhari said Anambra and along with other states in the South-East would gain as a lot of infrastructures had been earmarked for construction in the South-East in the next year’s budget.
Buhari, accompanied by 12 APC governors, arrived Dr Alex Ekwueme’s Square, Awka in a Nigeria Air Force aircraft mark NAF-540 at about 1.20pm and left four hours after.
A huge crowd of APC supporters and serving national and state lawmakers, ministers, former governors and party bigwigs attended the rally.
The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Ngige, who also spoke at the occasion, said APC in Anambra was thorough in her choice of Nwoye and Dozie Ikedife as gubernatorial candidate and deputy for the November18 election.
Ngige, who also hails from Anambra, noted that the massive crowd that took part in the rally was sign that the party was on ground in the state.
He said: “We have toured the nook and crannies of the state during our campaign tour and we are ready for the election and the people are behind APC.
“The other political parties also in this contest are only afraid because they have done nothing to show the people that their parties deserve the mandate of Anambra people again,” he said.
Ngige, who was a former governor of Anambra, said most of the projects done by other parties crying wolf of rigging are self-inflicted defeat, which must not be attributed to APC.
“If your are governor, your reward will come from the people when you perform well, the roads I built more than 14 years ago are standing, while the ones they built just yesterday are in bad shape, yet they want another mandate.
“My position here today is to sign a surety on behalf of the Nwoye and Ikedife, that the two will not fail our people if voted into office,” he said.
The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, who also spoke, said Anambra people should see the visit of Buhari to Awka as a royal opportunity which should be appreciated with massive support to APC on Nov.18 election.
“The visit of Buhari to the South-East after his overseas trip is mark of love for the Igbo people and Anambra people, I appeal to you to return the love by voting our party on Saturday,” he said.
Others who spoke were former Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani, and billionaire businessman Chief Arthur Eze, among others.
Meanwhile, Awka was locked down yesterday as the defective flyover built at Aroma Junction area of the state capital close to Ekwueme square, venue of the event hindered vehicular movement as it restricted movement of articulated vehicles, thereby causing unprecedented traffic jam that brought everything to a standstill.