Uche Ogah defects to APC

The runner-up at the 2015 governorship pri­maries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State, Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah, says he has finally dumped PDP for the All Pro­gressive Congress (APC).

Ogah who disclosed this in an interview with newsmen at his Onuaku country home said he decided to quit PDP because “PDP is a failed party that operates like a cult that protects only the interest of its members”.

The oil magnate who chal­lenged the mandate of Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu up to the Su­preme Court in a most cel­ebrated political legal battle expressed disappointed over the structure and running of PDP in Abia.

His words: “The way PDP is structured in Abia is like a cult. Cult is not for the masses. Cult protects the interest of its members alone and popular­izes itself.

“In Abia state, people are sitting on the resources of the entire state, sharing pub­lic fund among themselves. I believe that anything that will not benefit or interest the masses, I get myself out of it. My belief is adding value to the lives of the people.”

Ogah said he would pur­sue his governorship ambition in APC come 2019, express­ing hope that he would be fa­voured as the party’s candidate.

On his choice of APC as the political platform to fur­ther his ambition, Ogah said he believed in the philosophy of change as being propagated by the party. He also said that APC appeared more transpar­ent than PDP, adding that most people in Abia APC are pro­gressives.

The business guru further noted that after losing the gov­ernorship tussle to Ikpeazu at the apex court, a lot of politi­cal parties approached him to join them but he rather took his time to consult before finally settling for APC.

“My defection to APC is not a rumor, it is the truth. You know after the Supreme Court decision on the 2015 Abia gov­ernorship election, I took time to rest even though many po­litical parties have approached me to join them but I remained calm.

“After careful consultations, I decided to finally join APC. The reason being that APC is a party at the centre and Abia as a state needs the party. Those in APC are all progres­sives and the party is well po­sitioned.

“APC will choose among the best to be its flag bear­er not just any person like the PDP does. I believe in change. As long as Abia State is concerned, the state needs a change for better governance and to achieve this, Abians voting for APC in 2019 is the answer.”

Ogah said APC would sweep PDP out of Abia Gov­ernment House come 2019, maintaining that the party had betrayed the confidence of the masses.

He enjoined his supporters to queue behind him in his new political platform, prom­ising that he will soon com­mence mass empowerment of people in Abia State.

“APC will rule Abia because it controls the central govern­ment and the state will benefit much not only in political ap­pointments but in the provi­sion of infrastructure. APC is structured and internal de­mocracy is working too unlike PDP that is characterized by in- fighting and crisis upon crisis.”