Agbaso’s defection ‘won’t affect APGA in Imo’

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) on Sunday said the defection of Martin Agbaso to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo would not affect its electoral fortunes in 2015.

Victor Umeh, the national chairman of APGA, told NAN on Sunday: “Rather, APGA is more determined to win back Imo.

He said the defection was “an act borne out of selfish interest which does not portend good leadership quality”.

The party had no fewer than five aspirants struggling for its ticket for governorship election in Imo, he said.

“No single individual, no matter how highly placed, can make APGA lose its strength in Igbo land in 2015.

“Martin Agbaso has never won election in APGA and that he left the party does not mean that APGA will die,” he said.

The APGA chairman explained that Agbaso left because he was not promised automatic ticket to run for the governorship seat in Imo.

“We supported him in 2007 governorship election but he lost; he came back in 2010 to run for the same position in 2011 but he could not make it.

“He brought his younger brother to be deputy governor but along the line, the brother was impeached.

“We have given him all the support APGA can give any member. In 2015, we will try another hand,” he said.

He said that the former APGA chieftain was a lone ranger in the defection and that he never had the support of other stalwarts of the party.

According to him, Agbaso defected to PDP with his family members alone.

“I want to tell you that all major stakeholders in Imo APGA are still with the party, including the lawmaker representing him at the House of Assembly, Mr Dan Ikpeazu.

“As far as we are concerned in APGA, we wish him well in his sojourn,” he said.

Agbaso (pictured) on October 16 defected to the PDP, claiming to have left with 98 per cent of APGA members.

He has declared interest to contest the governorship election of the state on the platform of his new party, the PDP.