Ahead of the 2019 elections, Sen. Stella Oduah, representing Anambra North in the National Assembly, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Oduah, who was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), formally defected to APGA on Wednesday at a ceremony held at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
The former PDP chieftain said the agenda of the Igbo, youths and empowerment of women were strong forces driving her switch of parties.
Speaking while presenting herself to the APGA national leadership, the senator said she had always dreamed of being part of the APGA family, adding that she share common philosophy with the party.
“I am here as a politician, a true South-easterner and a very proud Igbo woman. Today is home-coming for me. This is where my heart has always been. Before, the enabling environment was not created for various reasons but now, it exists, so I am now where my heart belongs,” she said.
The former Minister of Aviation said she believed in having a political party with a philosophy and which can easily connect with the needs and aspirations of the people.
“Political party should be where philosophy resonates. I had always believed that without philosophy, political parties will be mere association of businessmen and women but APGA goes far beyond that. It is a movement. “APGA is where you care about your neighbour.
If you recall in 2011, I started a campaign called ‘Neighbour to Neighbour’. The initiative is about caring for our neighbours and that is what party politics is all about; where you have an aspiration to make a difference. In politics, it is important that you ensure that what you met is not what you leave behind but that you will always add value and strive to improve the lives of the people,” she said.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of APGA, Victor Oye, said the party is working to expand its scope and win more electoral offices in 2019 election.
According to him, “We are going to have more of this kind of function in the next three months.
“We are seeking the cooperation of all the members of APGA. We must remain united. It is only in unity that we will achieve our objective of building a strong egalitarian political party.”
We cannot achieve that if we are not united. We must continue the sacrifices for this party. APGA is a mass movement and not just a political party. I have always said it in the past and will continue to say it that while the PDP is hemorrhaging and APC weaning, APGA is the only party in Nigeria today with a clean bill of health.”
Oye said the crisis raging in the ruling party, APC, was long foretold and that it is only APGA that will rescue Nigeria from the predicament and give the people the best in governance.
“When I predicted an implosion in the APC, people thought it was a joke, but it is happening today. My prayer is that God will keep us united till elections so that we will be able to win election in a every nooks and cranny of this country,” he said.
Also speaking during the ceremony, the senator representing Anambra North senatorial district, Victor Umeh, described the defection of Oduah to APGA as good for the party, adding that it would help to improve its fortunes.
