The Deputy National Chairman (South) of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Uchenna Okogbuo, has said that the council poll in Lagos State would not be a walk in the park for the All Progressives Congress (APC). He said APGA would shock the party in a credible, free and fair poll.
He spoke more and on other issues in an interview.
How is your party preparing for the July 22 council poll in Lagos State?
Preparation is going on smoothly and we are happy with the feedback that we are getting from most of the local government areas. What people failed to realize is that APGA is very big in Lagos State. It is even one of our strongholds in the country going by the cosmopolitan nature of the state.
Ordinarily, we should be the party to beat. Right now, we are rebuilding the party for competition instead of for negotiation and very soon people would see an entirely different APGA not only in Lagos but, in the entire country.
A committee has been set up to look at the reasons the party is not living up to expectation. The committee, which I am the chairman, has discovered some of the loopholes. We are tightening up to ensure that we would be strong enough for elections in the state and beyond.
What are the chances of the party against the ruling APC?
Our chances are very bright we are the party to beat. Let me shock you a little with undiluted truth. Do you know that all the state and federal constituencies that PDP won in the 2015 general elections in Lagos State, the majority of the votes were from APGA members?
What happened was the adoption of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as the presidential flag bearer of our party. That made our members to vote PDP all the way. Now we have a different scenario. We are going to take what belongs to us.
We have a committee that had gone round all the local government areas in the state. The committee has submitted its report and right now we know our strength, our weakness, our opportunities and our threats.
Come July 22, we are confident of winning some local governments areas. Our only concern now is for the electoral body in the state to conduct credible, free and fair election. If this happens APC would be in for a real shock.
What is your take on the current crisis rocking PDP?
Personally speaking, I don’t see it as a good omen for our democracy. Somebody is being sponsored to destroy PDP so that we would have a one party state, which would not augur well for our country because democracy is all about choice.
If you feel that you are doing well or you are popular, you don’t have to destroy another party. Allow the masses to make their choice instead of giving them no choice at all. That is what I feel is happening with the crisis in PDP.
My desire is that they should resolve the crisis. However, I want to say that APGA doors are very open for those who want to join us, I mean the credible ones. They can come and join hands with us to take this country to where it rightly belongs
What do you have for your supporters the council poll?
My advice to APGA supporters in particular and residents of Lagos State in general is that they should not allow themselves to be intimidated by anybody. They should go and exercise their franchise. It is now clear to all Nigerian that political and economic salvation of this country can only come from APGA. PDP had tried but failed woefully. APC became a colossal disaster even before it started. It is high time Nigerians gave APGA a trial and I want to assure everybody that we would not disappoint.
We already have a template for good governance in Anambra State under Governor Willy Maduabuchi Obiano. This needs to be replicated across the country. I am calling on all Nigerians to embrace APGA for there lies our salvation.