By Adedapo Adesanya
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra State has set up cooperative societies for members in the 21 local government areas of the state, the first political party in the country to do so.
The party has resolved to use the cooperative societies to establish business concerns for members as part of the rebranding the repositioning of the party.
The Anambra State chairman of the party, Mr Ifeatu Obiokoye, had earlier directed all the council chapters of the party to use those cooperative societies as a tool for resolving grievances with members and also to drive memberships in the Southeastern state.
Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the party in the Ekwusigo LGA recently, the chairman of the party, Mr Edwin Ukorah, noted that the rewards for party loyalty are not limited to political appointments as not all party members would secure appointments.
Mr Ukorah explained that one of the challenges of APGA as a party during the last general election was the lack of inclusiveness of its loyal members.
“Today in Ekwusigo local government area, it is a new dawn, and the cooperative societies would go a long way in the reconciliation of all factions of the party similarly, societies have been formed by my twenty other colleagues at the council area.
“We are also enlarging our local government and ward executive to include all stakeholders in the area, and we have also taken a step further to reach out to most personalities and opinion moulders in our community to return to the party, and as I speak it is yielding tremendous results,” he said.
Mr Ukorah added that the bold steps taken by the party leadership at the national and state levels would restore confidence among the party faithful at all levels and allow it to compete beyond the sub-national stages.
Modupe Gbadeyanka