Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has warned politicians in the South East against repeating the ‘mistake’ made by the presidential candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, who ran in a relatively unknown party.
During an interview with Daily Sun, Ngige who described Moghalu as an illustrious igbo son, said his quest failed because the YPP was an unpopular platform.
The minister re-iterated an earlier call on Ndigbo to join the two main political parties – the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – which he said offered greater opportunity to the zone to actualise their presidential aspiration.
“Even in a village meeting, you must stand up and indicate interest for whatever position you want. You make it a topic, and of course, seek for support,” Ngige said.
“That’s how the game goes. You don’t stay away from the scene and at the same time be saying that you want power. So, there is still time for us, the Igbo, to go and reinforce.We need to reinforce in the two main political parties. That is what I am saying.
“If you go to Young Progressive Party you won’t be able to win even a local government. You are not the only one contesting. Dr. Moghalu, my very good friend who was deputy governor of Central Bank. He said that he was going to YPP. I called him and said ‘young man, you have not carried politics bag. You have not served anybody in politics.”
Ngige said that Moghalu should have launched his aspiration by first contesting for the governorship or National Assembly seat, rather than aspire for the president.
“Why would you jump into presidential race; not even for House of Representatives?’ If he had declared for governorship, we would have, maybe appealed to him to go for House of Representatives. So, one has to carry politics bag and learn from his master. You have to learn the art of politics.”
This is coming barely a few dqys after Chris Ngige claimed the only way Igbo tribe can produce a president in this country is to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, the ruling party in the southeast, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), must collapse and move into APC if they are serious about becoming President.
