I'M NOT LEAVING APGA - GOV. OBIANO

Governor Willie Obiano is not planning to quit
the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), his
Special Assistant, Political, Owelle Onyeka
Mbaso, said on Friday.
Rumours that Obiano will leave APGA spread
across the state, following the defection of his
predecessor, Peter Obi, from APGA to Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) last Monday.
However, in a press statement sent made
available to Saturday Independent, Mbaso said
the clarification had become necessary to
correct the information flying around that
Obiano was planning to defect to PDP.
Mbaso said Obiano had no such intention and
that he had vowed to take APGA to a greater
height.
The statement added: “All those people
planning to kill APGA will understand that
APGA is a religion. Religion can never die
because it is a doctrine that has been
embedded in the minds and hearts of the
believers.”
Meanwhile, the member representing Ogbaru
Federal Constituency, Anambra State, in the
House of Representatives, Hon. Victor Afam
Ogene, has dismissed fears of the probable
death of the party following the recent
defection of former Governor Peter Obi from
the party to the PDP, saying that the party “is
still very much alive.”
Waxing philosophical, Ogene, who spoke to
newsmen in Awka, the Anambra State capital
on Friday, said: “According to the famous
writer, William Shakespeare, the world is a
stage and we all are mere players. Former
Governor Obi has played his part admirably on
the APGA stage and has decided to move on.
But that does not mean that the show is
over?”
Meanwhile, National Chairman of APGA), Chief
Victor Umeh, has pleaded with the supporters
of the party not to take the defection of Obi
as a serious issue, saying it cannot affect the
fortunes of the party.
He likened the former governor’s exit to a
church situation where old members would leave
with their belief and new converts would join.
Umeh who spoke to Saturday Independent
after the defection of over 7000 members of
All Progressives Congress (APC), PDP and
Labour Party (LP) in Delta State to APGA at
Asaba, said the party would continue to wax
stronger despite the defection of Obi, which
would not in any way stop the party from
winning more states and seats at the state and
national assemblies.
Welcoming the defectors earlier, Umeh who
said there was no more APC in Delta State
hinted that his party had sown a mustard seed
in the state that is about to grow into a big
tree.
According to him, it was now the turn of
Anioma people to rule Delta State, describing
APGA as one that is always there to protect
Nigeria.
On the October 25 local government election in
the state, the APGA chairman said the party
was sure to win six local governments and
advised that election result should be
announced properly, adding that mago mago
should not be allowed.