APGA Is Like Keke Napep, It Can’t Take Igbos Far In Getting Presidency – Governor Hope Uzodimma Says

Governor, Hope Uzodimma if Imo state has likened the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) the ruling political party in Anambra state to a tricycle or Keke Napep saying it will never close to federal power or winning the presidency for the Igbos.

The governor stated his position in page 70 of his new book ‘Reflections On The Igbo Question’.

Stating his reasons for ruling out APGA as a major party that can win the presidency, Uzodimma said APGA is generally viewed as a regional party since its founders labelled it as an Igbo party.

He said “In like manner, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA ) will never come close to federal power. Ever since its leadership found delight in tagging it an Igbo party, it has been confined to the back benches as an ethnic party”.

“The bitter truth here is that tribal or tribe-based political parties are divisible and sectional. As a vehicle to political power, it can only be likened to a tricycle or Keke- NAPEP, which can only take you around within short distances, but not without the scourging heat of the sun in dry season and the messy drench of downpours in rainy season”.

“Join a Keke-NAPEP on a long distant journey through a federal highway and you stand the chance of being knocked down, or out, by a luxury bus, a trailer or a whirlwind. On all scores, you lose. So too will those who want to get national leadership using ethnic based political parties”.

On what the Igbos can do to get the presidency, Uzodimma said they must remain in national political parties such as the All Progressives Congress (APC) or Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and reach out to other members of the party across the country.

“The thing to do is clear; we must remain in National Political Parties and prove our mettle there, by building bridges and reaching out sincerely to other members of the Nigerian family.”

Political Tsunami Hit PDP And APGA As 4,000 Parties Members Decamp To APC

The FCT Minister of State, Ramatu Aliyu, has revealed that at least closed 4,000 party members have dumped opposition parties to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwali Area Council of the territory, ahead of the Federal Capital Territory Area Councils election slated for February 2022.

Ms Aliyu while receiving the decampees, assured them of justice and fairness amongst members of the ruling party and called on others who were yet to join to do so.

The minister, who described the event as a ‘harvest’ of over 4,000 members, expressed delight that most of the returnees are former leaders of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the FCT.

She, therefore, charged them to use their political weight to ensure victory for the party come 2022 and beyond.

She, however, appealed to both old and new members of the ruling party to work together in peace and be law-abiding and emphasised the supremacy of party decisions.

“We are here today to receive over 4,000 of our brothers and sisters who have decided on their own to join the ruling APC.

“They came from various political parties especially the major opposition parties, the PDP and APGA. We appreciate them.

“They have keyed into the agenda of the second term of the incumbent chairman, the second term of credible governance, the second term of competent leadership, the second term of solid management of our common patrimony in Kwali Area Council,” she said.

Earlier, the APC chairman in the FCT, Abdulmalik Usman, revealed that some of the decampees were founding members of the APC before they jumped ship.

“Today, we are here to make another history, the history of receiving our brothers, some of whom we started this party together.

“Our brothers and sisters whom we struggled hard to form this party at that time. So it is welcome back home for these members sitting here today.

“We are not here to campaign because we don’t want anybody to indict our party,” he said.

Mr Usman expressed the confidence that the APC would win the entire six area councils and the 62 wards in the nation’s capital on February 12, 2022.

Responding on behalf of the decampees, Usman Jiya, a former APGA aspirant, assured party members that their return to APC was to consolidate on the achievements recorded by the incumbent chairman of Kwali Area Council.

The high point of the event was the presentation of the symbolic broom to the leaders of the decampees by the FCT Minister of State and the party chairman.

Other decampees include Salihu Kolo, former State PDP Deputy Chairman; Habila Bwaba, former PDP State Vice-Chairman, Maimunat Adamu, amongst others.

I Am Not Leaving APGA To Join APC – Obiano

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State has denied that he is planning to dump the All Progressives Grand Alliance for the All Progressives Congress.

Obiano made the clarification following growing speculation that he was tacitly backing the re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari in next month’s presidential election.