The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia State has collapsed its entire state structure into All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Igbere TV reports.
This is coming weeks after the APGA candidate in the Abia 2015 and 2019 governorship elections and former Managing Director of the defunct Diamond Bank, Dr. Alex Otti, dumped the party for the APC.
At a formal declaration ceremony/press conference on Tuesday monitored by Igbere TV in Umuahia, state chairman of APGA in Abia, Hon. Nkem Okoro, said the party at all levels had collapsed into the APC.
He described the ‘uncommon’ move as “completion of a tsunami of political realignment with the biggest and most progressive political party in Nigeria, APC.”
“This decision was taken after wide consultation with our supporters at all levels who are in agreement that the APC represents a progressives platform with the ideals and vision required to end misgovernance in Abia”, he said.
“Our decision to join the APC became more cogent and expedient, after the leader of the party in Abia state and a respected Abia son, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR joined the party with thousands of APGA supporters recently.
“Today, we have trooped out here with the progressive zeal, passion and commitment to wholeheartedly join the APC with the desire to selflessly support the vision of the APC aimed at ensuring that the Abia of our collective dream is achieved.
“As leaders of APGA at all levels, we showed hard work and commitment devoid of compromise in leading our party men and women, therefore today, we want to assure you that, we shall deploy same virtues of commitment and sincerity as APC members to passionately work for the growth and expansion of the Abia APC at all levels.
“What we are doing here today marks the end of our journey in APGA, thus we are joining the Abia APC with our spirits and souls, and with the determination to make people oriented sacrifices aimed at taking the APC to an enviable height.”
Present at the ceremony were members of the State Working Committee of APGA, the 17 LGA Chairmen and the ward Chairmen of the 184 wards, as well as former state and LGA officers of the party.
“Due to the COVID-19 challenges, coupled with the large number of APGA members willing to be part of today’s event, we directed our LGA Executives, Ward Executives and other members to carry out their declarations at their various wards, so that this place wouldn’t experience any form of COVID-19 breaches and possible stampede.”
“From what we have seen so far, our friend and brother, Hon. Donatus Nwamkpa (Omara Eme) and members of his SWC have not hidden their love, joy and excitement in having us in the APC fold, of course this show of love and willingness is a manifestation of his desire to build and make the APC a more formidable political platform with the capacity to reclaim Abia state and restore it back to Abians.
“We are determined to align with the state Chairman, his officers and other men and women of goodwill to ensure that the vision of the APC in Abia will be achieved for the good of our people.
“We know that the Constitution and ideologies of the APC attach so much priority to discipline, loyalty and supremacy of the party over every individual, therefore we are excited because our track record of commitment, discipline and loyalty would make it easier for us to quickly integrate and be part of the big APC family,” the APGA chair said.
“Mr. [APC] Chairman, I want to on behalf of all APGA entrants assure you and members of your executive that you will enjoy unprecedented cooperation, support and solidarity from us, because we are convinced that the APC requires a new kind of support and inspiration from all to effectively play its role as the ruling party at the national, and as an opposition party in Abia state.”
Those who received the APGA party faithfuls and leaders into the APC include the state chairman of the party, Hon. Donatus Nwamkpa and other officers of the State Working Committee.
Igbere TV reports that members of the State Executive Committee, National and South East Zonal Officers of the APC, and LGA officers of the party were also present.
