In a press conference in Umuahia, the state chairman of the APGA faction, Onapuruagu Prince Ukaegbu said the decision was “after a careful analyses and deliberations of the issues affecting the party within the state and at the national level”, stating that they are disassociating the state chapter of APGA from the “privatization and personalization” of the party by its former National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh whose tenure ended on the first day of November, 2014.
The Abia faction rejected the entire list which it said Chief Umeh submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, describing the list as made up of “discredited and disgruntled members of PDP who lost their various party primaries” a day before that of APGA in the state and “thus displacing authentic candidates” of their party who had laboured to build the party over the years.
While describing Umeh’s list as “a product of Nigerian factor”, they questioned the rationale for INEC’s continued recognition of Umeh.
The APGA faction said that the flag bearer and governorship candidate of another faction of APGA, Dr. Alex Otti “is not the governorship candidate of APGA in the state having obtained APGA expression of interest and nomination forms before purportedly becoming a ‘member’ of APGA”.
According to the faction, Otti did not emerge through duly and lawfully conducted APGA primaries in accordance with party’s constitution and guidelines and urged Otti to sort out his differences with Chief Umeh.
Responding, the PDP governorship candidate, DR. Okezie ikpeazu described the occasion as “a reflection of political sagacity and nationalistic outlook” of the factional chairman of APGA, Prince Ukaegbu.
Ikpeazu said he was humbled by the support and promised to create a platform where APGA will make contributions in the way the state will be governed.