Fanfare As Bethran Okulegu With His "fire Team" Joined Apc.
The ranks of the All Progressive Congress, APC, was further swelled on Saturday, 2nd March 2024 as the former Acting Chairman of Ebonyi State Secondary Education Board who was also the immediate past Director-general of the 2023 PDP Campaign Council in Ezza North LGA, Dr. Bethran Okulegu, was received alongside his team of formidable supporters in Ezza North, otherwise known in political circles as the 'Fire Team' were received into the APC. On hand to recieve the Okulegu and his team notable for their dedication and overwhelming political influence in Ebonyi Central, were the Ebonyi State chairman of All Progressive Congress, Chief Stanley Emeagha; Ebonyi State Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Engr. Jude Okpor; Ezza North LGA Council chairman, Chief Ogodoali Nome; and other APC stalwarts in Ebonyi State including Hon. Emeka Nwoñu whose appointment as Executive Secretary of Ebonyi State Local Government Pension Board by Governor Francis Nwifuru has given summary credence to the "Onye rukaria, orikaria" mantra of the Nwifuru governorship campaigns in 2023.
In his speech, Dr. Okulegu extolled Governor Francis Nwifuru for his compassion in governance which informed the Ebonyi governor's recent choice as the Welfare Ambassador of Nigeria. In Okulegu's words: "I am particularly impressed by Governor Nwifuru's payment of arrears of gratuities and pensions, business grants to hawkers and scholarship grants to Ebonyi law school students. Anybody who knew what retirees, law school students of Ebonyi State origin and hawkers used to pass through will appreciate the import of Nwifuru's welfare programmes. That the governor combines these with concrete road projects as well as his giant strides in the education and health sectors makes him an all-round governor. I therefore call on all political parties and well-meaning Ebonyians to join hands with Nwifuru to build a better Ebonyi State for all. Politics is over, it is time for governance."
In his speech, Ebonyi State APC chairman, Chief Emeagha, who was happy to receive an old time ally into the APC fold recalled the patriotic political roles of Dr. Okulegu and assured him that the APC had room enough to accommodate all Ebonyi people especially under Governor Francis Nwifuru for whom the welfare of Ebonyi people was of paramount importance.
Okulegu who was Ebonyi State Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, has been an active player in Ebonyi politics and this was evident in both the caliber of political personas who received him into the ruling APC as well as the profiles of members of the Okulegu 'Fire Team' who joined him in the political movement including two-time DC coordinators, Aloysius Nweke (Ogbanshiegbe) and Sunday Otubo; the former PDP chairman of Unwuezeoka ward, Theo Nwogbu; former PDP ward chairman and director of the 2023 PDP Campaign Council in Unwuezeoka ward, Simeon Elom; among numerous others. Highlights of the reception were goodwill messages, traditional dances and more.