By Emma Ogbuehi
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has described the defection of the deputy governor of Anambra State, Dr. Nkem Okeke to the All Progressives Congress (APC), as of no consequence.
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Tex Okechukwu, APGA said that the defection of the deputy was long expected since he had been grudging everybody over his inability to secure the governorship ticket of the party for the November election.
“The deputy governor had thought that the governor and the party were going to hand over the governorship ticket of the party in the last primary to him on a platter. When that didn’t happen, he started behaving abnormally, even to the point of insubordination and dereliction of duties”, the statement buttressed.
It viewed the exit of the deputy governor, without formal notification to the party or his principal, as uncalled for, ill-timed and ill-advised as the governor had always treated him with respect, love and consideration.
The party frowned at the desperation being exhibited by the opposition APC in the build-up to the November 6 Anambra State Governorship Election, calling on all members of the party to remain united to ensure that APGA won the election with wider margins.
The statement continued, “Let nobody be deceived; APC has no root anywhere in Anambra State and that is why all that they do is going about luring political deadwood with money and other lucre”.
The party called on Governor Willie Obiano not to be distracted by the defection of his deputy, which it described as “a ploy to create a semblance of disunity in his government”, but to remain resolute in delivering the dividends of democracy to his people.
“No matter the designs of the opposition and other subterranean forces, APGA is poised to win the forthcoming election and continue with the massive infrastructural development going on in the state”, the statement concluded.