Mr. Sly Ezeokenwa, the factional National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has praised President Bola Tinubu for his “audacious and laudable” decision to appoint Mrs. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. Ezeokenwa expressed his sentiments during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
Tinubu recently appointed seven new ministers, subject to Senate confirmation, with Odumegwu-Ojukwu among those chosen. Ezeokenwa, who was elected as APGA National Chairman in 2023, shared his pride in Bianca’s appointment, highlighting her as a revered and iconic member of the party and the wife of the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, a prominent national leader.
“Bianca is one of the most revered members of the party; very iconic; a woman with sterling qualities,” Ezeokenwa remarked. He referred to Ojukwu as the party’s “spiritual leader,” emphasizing that APGA transcends typical political dynamics.
Ezeokenwa commended President Tinubu for this “laudable and audacious move” and reiterated the need for a strong cabinet of technocrats to effectively drive the president’s agenda. He expressed concern over the current state of the economy, acknowledging the suffering of Nigerians.
“I can tell that the economy of this country has taken the brunt for the past few years; nobody can shy away from the fact that Nigerians are suffering,” he stated. Ezeokenwa urged the president to look beyond party affiliations and include credible Nigerians with the expertise to make a difference in the cabinet.
He emphasized that the success of the president is intrinsically linked to the well-being of Nigerians. “If he succeeds, Nigeria will succeed; if he succeeds, the level of hunger in the country will wane,” he asserted, noting that a successful presidency would improve the nation’s image and attract investors.
Ezeokenwa envisions Nigeria not only as a leader in Africa but among the top five economies globally, citing the country’s vast human capital. He reiterated his commendation of the president for his bold move in inviting capable individuals to join his Renewed Hope Agenda.
On security issues, he called for a decentralization of Nigeria’s security architecture to better address the myriad challenges the nation faces. Regarding internal party dynamics, Ezeokenwa dismissed claims of factionalization within APGA, asserting that the party remains a united family. He attributed any perceived divisions to external influences attempting to hijack the party through underhanded tactics.
“What we have in APGA today is not fictionalization; what we have is an attempt by some people who are not members of APGA trying to hijack the party through the back door,” he concluded.