From Obinna Odogwu, Awka
The member representing Aguata Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Chief Chukwuma Umeoji, has dumped the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Umeoji, a governorship aspirant in the party, revealed that he was moving to the APC with his over 10,000 supporters and other stakeholders who were initially in other parties.
Director of Media and Publicity, Chukwuma Umeoji Campaign Organization, Uloka Chukwubuikem, in a statement, revealed that the federal lawmaker also moved to the APC with Governor Willie Obiano’s senior aides.
The statement reads: “Rt. Hon. Chukwuma Umeoji at his campaign office in Awka, Anambra State, led over 10, 000 supporters including the House member representing Oyi Constituency and Awka North, Hon. Charles Obimma and Hon. John Nwokoye respectively, senior aides to the incumbent governor, party chieftains and several other groups across the 326 political wards in the state to the APC.
“Umeoji who resigned his membership of APGA and duly registered with the All Progressives Congress at his Ezinifite ward informed during the public declaration at Awka that APGA has failed Ndị Anambra and all Igbo. He noted that APGA is now a retrogressive party with fraudulent nkea bụ nke anyị. He urged Ndị Anambra to embrace APC, the true progressives party.
“Since the party’s primaries held in June and characterized by manipulations, impunity, lack of internal democracy and intimidations of party delegates, the party’s leadership at the national level failed to genuinely engage all aspirants and party stakeholders towards genuine reconciliation, an important task that would have helped the party forge ahead.
“APGA for the much we now know has been hijacked by a very tiny group who do not mean well for the state, contending voices silenced, with impunity, imposition and fleecing of innocent people the order of the day.”
“It is based on these reasons and after due consultation with my political associates across the 21 Local Government Areas that l decided to leave the party and join the real progressives party.
“Today, we are declaring our total support for Senator Andy Uba MFR, the man whom God has ordained to rescue Anambra State from the present impasse.”
Umeoji, who revealed that his supporters across the state were all credible voters and political mobilizers, assured the APC candidate, Uba and other chieftains of the party present, that his structure would not only vote, but would ensure that others vote for the APC on Saturday.
Chairman of the APC in the state, Chief Basil Ejidike, welcomed Umeoji into their party and presented him with the party’s flag and broom which he said symbolises unity and progress.
Uba, who was present to receive the federal lawmaker and his entire structure and supporters into the party, praised Umeoji for his timely decision to join the APC which he described as the largest political party in West Africa. He said that he would work with him towards the liberation of Anambra State from bad governance.
Uba reiterated his commitment and preparedness to get Anambra State working and assured all supporters of Umeoji who had come out to en masse to show their support and declare for him that his administration would accommodate everyone and that together they would get Anambra State to work again for the common people and not for a selected few.
Uloka, in the statement, said that the supporters of Umeoji officially burned their APGA clothes at the event and embraced the Broom Revolution while declaring their unalloyed support for Uba and the APC.
Climax of the event was the endorsement of Igboezue Socio-Cultural Organisation led by their grand patron Hon. Charles Obimma, member Representing Oyi Constituency.
The group through her National Leader, Chief Okoye, Oyi of Oyi said the decision came after careful consideration and appraisal of all the candidates and that only Senator Uba was best fit for the job.
Other Groups that endorsed the candidate of the APC, according to the statement, included Anambra State Comrade Community and Students Association led by the President of the Senate, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and Anambra Women Group, amongst others.