Finally, Maku defects to APGA to contest gov poll

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has presented Labaran Maku, the immediate past minister of information, as its candidate for the February 28 gubernatorial election in Nasarawa state.

Maku, who was among the seven ministers who resigned to pursue their political ambitions, had earlier denied the reports of his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after losing the party’s ticket to Yusuf Agabi.

Attributing his loss to alleged irregularities at the primaries, Maku had vowed not to give up his bid to become the governor of the state.

“What went on in the primaries of our party, the PDP, was uncalled for and everybody is aware of that,” he told his supporters who paid him a visit at his country home in the state last week.

“I want to tell you that there is no going back on my gubernatorial ambition come 2015. Those who are thinking that my political ambition is stunted should start having a rethink; my 2015 governorship ambition is still on course.

“I want to call on you to continue to support me and vote for me during the 2015 general election. When the victory comes, we will all celebrate together and I want to advise you not to give up on my 2015 gubernatorial ambition but to preach my gospel for governorship.”

During his presentation on Saturday, he said he left the PDP and embraced APGA in order to seek justice​. He also said he was the most qualified of all the candidates to become governor.

“The struggle to ensure that I did not become candidate of APGA is emanating from Government House in Lafia. There is no place they have not gone, they have threatened APGA leadership in the state.

“They know, more than anybody, that when it comes to vision, to leadership, to capacity to express that vision and mobilise people, I have the capacity and that is why they are all jittery.

Ifeanyi Amakor, the chairman of APGA in Nasarawa, presented Maku in Lafia, capital of the state, urging the people of Nasarawa to give Maku the required support because he means well for the state.

“I want to use this opportunity to unveil Maku as APGA’s candidate in Nasarawa and also clear every rumour that Maku is not our candidate,” he said.

“Let me tell you, we don’t have two candidates in the state. The only candidate we have is Maku.”

Apart from Anambra, APGA, which is very popular in the south-east, does not have any other state under its control.

Maku succeeded the late Dora Akunyili, who resigned from the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the Anambra central senatorial district, under the same APGA.

Ibrahim Abu was also presented as Maku’s running mate.