2019 Elections: Okorocha blasts APGA, tells party to wind up, join APC
The Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha has advised the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, to wind-up and fuse into the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The governor stated this in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo.
Okorocha said his former party should fold up if it cannot fly again and stop brandishing his name.
He accused APGA of using his name to market their party in a very wrong way, pointing out that they first came up with a story of him wanting to return to APGA.
He also said Chief Victor Oye and his cohorts in APGA were yet to recover from the deep cut the exit of Okorocha inflicted on the party, for the merger that saw the emergence of APC.
The statement read, “The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, should, as a matter of fact, wind-up and fuse into the All Progressives Congress, APC, if the Party cannot fly again without brandishing Governor Rochas Okorocha’s name in a quite unfortunate manner.”
It continued, “They never said anything that could convince anybody to believe them. They never said whether he wrote to them or approached any of them, or even sent people to approach them on his behalf.
“They also did not mention what could be the attractions in APGA this time, that could make the Imo Governor thinking about returning to a Party he left with the soul and dropped it on the APC table.
“We kept quiet and never talked to them. Few days ago, the National Chairman of the Party, Chief Victor Oye had a Press Conference in Abuja and the target of the Press Conference was Governor Okorocha. Chief Oye heavily insulted the Imo governor unprovoked and unwarranted. He talked about how the Party would not accept Rochas again, without telling the world whether there was any application from Okorocha to that effect.
“It is obvious that Chief Oye and his Cohorts in APGA are yet to recover from the deep cut the exit of Governor Okorocha inflicted on APGA, for the merger that saw the emergence of APC. They are yet to recover from the shock occasioned by that patriotic action by Governor Okorocha and they can’t help the situation, aside talking about Okorocha and APGA as if something is left with the Party.
“Infact, Oye and Co. are using Okorocha’s name as a marketing strategy for APGA. He could do that in a more refined manner than using insults and abuses. Governor Okorocha took the soul of APGA to APC and he did it in the overall interest of Ndigbo and Nigeria. He deserves accolades from reasonable sons and daughters of Igbo land.
“Chief Oye also tried to play down Governor Okorocha’s monumental achievements in Imo. And in case he has not read our claims on the governor’s achievements in Imo, we may repeat it here for his sake. What Governor Okorocha has achieved in Imo as governor have surpassed the grand total of the achievements of all those who had governed the State before him. We expect him to challenge us on this claim if he so wishes.
“Equally, Chief Oye should work and make APGA win another State in the South-East where there are five States and only one is APGA at the moment. And in 2011 Okorocha won his election for who God has made him to be and not because of APGA. If Chief Oye doubts this hypothesis let him make APGA to win in Enugu or Ebonyi that also have close boundaries with Anambra State that is controlled by APGA this time.
“Finally, Igbo people like Oye should learn how to celebrate their God-given stars like Owelle Okorocha instead of trying fruitlessly to run down such men.”