Comrade Harris Chuma, hitherto an Anambra governorship aspirant under the umbrella of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says he has found peace as a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and will work assiduously for the re-election of Chief Willie Obiano during the November 2017 governorship election in the state.
Comrade Chuma, while exchanging views with journalists at Ogbunike in Oyi Local Government Area, strongly defended his defection to APGA.
The human rights activist traced his political career to Lagos State, where he was among the Igbo leaders who jointly consolidated the strength and foundation of APC in Lagos. The comrade, who equally belonged to Ezendigbo in Lagos, expressed dissatisfaction with the marginalisation of Igbos in Lagos after making heavy sacrifices to enthrone APC candidates.
According to him, “I started politics in Lagos State under the defunct Action Congress (AC), and was never interested in Anambra politics. My thinking changed after 2015 presidential election, where majority of Igbo leaders fought tooth and nail to deliver APC in Lagos State. In that process, I lost a lot of valuables, including one of my cars that was burnt.
“After Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s election, I organised inauguration party for him single-handledly. After the election, Igbos were relegated to the background. There was no appreciation. Though I was not interested in any political appointment, but what is good is good to be done. No sign of appreciation.
“At a point, I was isolated; Igbos in Lagos saw me as a saboteur, they believed I betrayed them. But that was not true.”
Comrade Chuma said that after it dawned on him that Lagos was not his biological root, he made a fast turn to deploy his political experience in his state, Anambra.
According to him, he declared his intention to vie for November 18 governorship election in Anambra State, on December 2016, under the APC platform and commenced his media campaign in January this year, having registered in his political ward in Ogbunike.
Comrade Chuma maintained that his ambition to join the governorship race came to a halt having studied the achievements of the present administration within the past three years, which, according to him, were unprecedented since the history of the state.
In his words, “I got to a point where I was not happy doing what I was doing. The First Lady of Anambra State is from my town and the Governor, my in-law.
It will sound awful if I contest against my in-law. It’s either I withdraw to support Governor Obiano or I leave politics. But as an anti-corruption crusader and social rights activist, I have to be part of the process to correct the system.
“I started making consultations, though it was not easy as many people knew I was anti-Obiano government. But I have to be a man.”
Comrade Chuma, who is also the founder of Ogenigbo Movement, expressed elation for being released from the shackles of APC, and being part of the APGA government in Anambra.
“I started having peace of mind ever since I joined APGA. I changed my state of mind from combatant to a free man.
I stopped using security around me Though APC members are after me, but I have to be a man,” he said.
