The Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Sly Ezeokenwa, has affirmed that Bianca Ojukwu remains a party member despite the ministerial appointment by President Bola Tinubu.
OsunDailyNG reports that Bianca, who is not a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was one of the new ministers Tinubu appointed while reshuffling his cabinet in October.
Bianca, the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s widow, was appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Ezeokenwa, whose leadership of APGA got affirmation from the Supreme Court on Wednesday, confirmed that Bianca Ojukwu has not left the party.
The APGA chairman noted that the party permitted Ojukwu to take up the ministerial assignment.
According to Ezeokenwa, Tinubu did what he had always advocated, especially for members of opposition parties to be allowed to serve in his government.
The APGA leader maintained that Ojukwu’s appointment as a minister is a plus for the opposition party, adding he is ready to be part of an inclusive government.
He said, “I called on the president and I commend him on that appointment. She (Bianca) is a member of APGA, she is a BoT member of the party till date, she has not resigned her membership of the party. She had that appointment as a member of the party.
“The earliest call I did to the president is to ensure now that you have won the election and the Supreme Court has affirmed your election as the president of Nigeria, it is now time to close ranks because the people that can help you achieve your manifesto are not domiciled within your party, you have technocrats that are in other political parties.”
Ezeokenwa said that even though he is a leader of an opposition party, he still wishes Tinubu to succeed in the interest of Nigerians, which is paramount.
