The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA Tuesday endorsed and adopted the Peopled Democratic Party, PDP candidate Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu as state APGA candidate, come April 11 governorship elections in Abia.
In a press conference in Umuahia, the state chairman of the APGA faction, Onapuruagu Prince Ukaegbu said the decision was “after a careful analyses and deliberations of the issues affecting the party within the state and at the national level”, stating that they are disassociating the state chapter of APGA from the “privatization and personalization” of the party by its former National Chairman, Chief Victor Ume whose tenure ended on the first day of November, 2014.
They rejected the entire list which they said Chief Umeh submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, describing the list as made up of “discredited and disgruntled members of PDP who lost their various party primaries” a day before that of APGA in the state and “thus displacing authentic candidates” of their party who had labored to build the party over the years.
While describing Umeh’s list as “a product of Nigerian factor”, they questioned the rational for INEC’s continued recognition of Umeh.
The APGA faction expressed their affirmation that the flag bearer and governorship candidate of another faction of APGA, Dr. Alex Otti “is not the governorship candidate of APGA in the state having obtained APGA expression of interest and nomination forms before purportedly becoming a ‘member’ of APGA”.
According to the faction, the emergence of Otti was orchestrated by Umeh as Otti did not emerge through duly and lawfully conducted APGA primaries in accordance with party’s constitution and guidelines and urged Otti to sort out his differences with Chief Umeh.
They further disassociated themselves from any attempts to cause “disaffection, confusion and tinker” in the state.
They therefore resolved to endorse and adopt Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu of the PDP and his running mate, Rt. Hon. Ude Oko Chukwu as their governorship candidates in the April 11 elections “after careful perusal and scrutiny” of Dr. Ikpeazu’s program and manifesto.
“We have extracted a firm commitment from Dr. Ikpeazu that he is going to be his own man and would not succumb to undue influence from any quarters.
“He had also assured us that he is going to turn the fortunes and fate of Aba in his first years in office”, they said, stating that the PDP guber candidate has assured them that he would revisit and reverse the sacking of non-indigenes from the state civil service.
They therefore uged their members to vote for Dr. Ikpeazu, come April 11 election.
Receiving them later, the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Sen. Emma Nwaka thanked them for seeing reason to adopt and endorse the PDP governorship candidate, and used the opportunity to dispel the rumour that INEC has cancelled any election in the state, advising that only the tribunal can do that.
Responding, the PDP governorship candidate, DR. Okezie ikpeazu described the occasion as “a reflection of political sagacity and nationalistic outlook” of the factional chairman of APGA, Prince Ukaegbu.
For Ukaegbu to throw his political weight behind him, Ikeazu said humbled him stating that he has the will to succeed as failure is not an option.
He assured the APGA faction that he will create a platform where the party will make their contribution as well as given the opportunity to contribute in the way things are being run in the state.
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