APGA adopts Otti as candidate for Abia
Posted by admin | 9 years ago | 3,999 times
The National Executive of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) on Thursday, December 12, 2014, under the leadership of Victor Umeh, presented Alex Otti as the party's candidate for Abia State governorship election coming up February next year. Otti was a former Managing Director of Diamond Bank Plc.
In attendance at the occasion were APGA National Chairman, Victor Umeh; and Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, an APGA governor. Otti was welcomed by a crowd of supporters at the Aba Recreation ground, the venue of the presentation. In his speech, Otti promised to fix the decaying infrastructures in the state like roads, drainage system, Agriculture, health and improved economic environment. Going further, he declared that it was time to effect needed changes in Abia State which he said the people deserved. He emphasised to voters that they must guard their votes jealously.
In his speech, Governor Obiano praised Otti as the best choice for Abia people. He encouraged the people to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan and other APGA candidates in all elective positions. The party Executive also received members who defected from other political parties. In his response to the Anambra Governor, Otti promised that he would not fail Ndi- Abia if elected into power.
Factnewsonline crew spoke to some people at the ground to get their perception on on Otti's candidacy. Some expressed desire for change in the state, and hoped that Otti, when elected, would make that change possible. They pledged unreserved support for Otti, praying that he should become the next Abia governor.
Some miscreants took the opportunity of the large crowd and wanted to foment trouble. But security men at the event stopped kept them at bay.
When the same enquiries were made outside the venue of the adoption, inside Aba town, Factnewsonline discovered that residents were actually divided on their views on Otti's candidacy.
In another development however, Victor Umeh was suspended from the chairmanship of the party following a court order. In his place, Ejike Uche, who hitherto had been the Deputy National Chairman of the party, was appointed.
Uche announced his new leadership of the party at a press conference he held in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, saying that his action was “pursuant to article 12(26) of the APGA constitution, which empowers the national deputy chairman, South, to act in place of the National Chairman.” In excercising his powers as the Chairman of the party, he lifted the suspension on all the members of party suspended by Umeh during the 2011 convention of the party. He also granted them waivers.
Earlier on Monday, December 9, Umeh was restrained from exercising the functions of APGA national chairman, following an interim ex-parte order issued by an Abia State High Court.
The order was based on a suit filed by five members of the party challenging Umeh’s continued stay in office as national chairman when his eight-year tenure of two terms had expired on December 1, 2014.
"We have assumed leadership of the party in compliance with the court decision,” said Uche, and added that “Umeh is joking with the affairs of the party.”
Uche was flanked by the Deputy National Chairman of the party North, Sadeeq Ibrahim Masalla and the Deputy Welfare Secretary, Ezekiel Adekunle Shonubi, he declared that a substantive national chairman would emerge at a national convention slated for February 2015.
Uche accused Umeh of having "caused a lot of bleeding" in the party. He cited the appointment of Bianca Ojukwu, as leader of the party, without consulting the National Working Committee (NWC).
He therfore dropped the adoption of Otti as the party's candidate for Abia governorship election next year. He then stated categorically that Reagan Ufomba was the only recognised APGA candidate for next year's governorship election in Abia State.
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