BY VICTOR NWEGEDE
The Ebonyi State Chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has expressed its readiness to take over the leadership of the state come 2023 general elections.
The APGA Chairman in Ebonyi, Chief Ricky Okorouka, made this known on Friday, during the party's Press Conference at its Secretariat along Abakaliki -Enugu Express Way in the State capital.
Chief Okorouka stated that APGA has gathered much weight to take Ebonyi State to a greater height come 2023.
He described APGA as the most accepted political party in the South-East zone, leading to a mass exodus of the APC and PDP members to join the party (APGA) in the state.
"Firstly, let me seize this opportunity to inform you that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Ebonyi State Chapter is getting much set to take Ebonyi to a great height come 2023.
"As we all know, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is now the most widely accepted political party in the entire South-East geopolitical zone and that orchestrated the recent defection of the stakeholders and leaders of both the APC and PDP to APGA in Ebonyi State," Chief Okorouka said.
He revealed that 'APGA in Ebonyi State has already wooed over 1,500 members and 700 others from the PDP.'
He insisted that the APGA would take over the state in 2023, saying that from all indications, the party (APGA) would harvest not less than 50,000 new members from APC and PDP respectively, in each of the 13 local government areas of the state before two months now.
He, however, advised those planning to join APGA in the state to be bold enough to do so without any further delay to enable them to partake in the party's success story in 2023.
"Our door is still very wide open to receive more people into our great party, the APGA. We, therefore, enjoin those who are admiring APGA to join us to partake in the success story that is ahead of us.
"APGA is a political party that is founded around the orbit of Love and Unity, and that is why our motto remains 'Onye Aghana Nwanneya', which in the other words means 'be your brothers and sisters keeper.'
"Let me emphasize that those who want to join us should come straight to the APGA leadership in Ebonyi State instead of going through the back door. APGA is different from other political parties, we are known for uniqueness, discipline, integrity, due process and good governance.
"Our leadership in Ebonyi State is ready to welcome anyone who wants to join APGA. Our doors are open to welcome the intending members at all times but we will not tolerate anyone trying to join APGA from the back door," he said.
While commending those who had already joined APGA in the state, Okorouka pledged to sustain an open door policy, which according to him, has been the secret behind the party's success.
He noted that through the excellent leadership of the party executives since its inception, it had been able to produce governors in Anambra, lawmakers, and others occupying elective positions at the State and National levels in different states.
He maintained that the excellent performance of the APGA leadership would enable the party to win more political positions, especially in Ebonyi come 2023 general elections.
He equally advised all the qualified voters in the state to get themselves registered in the ongoing continuous voter card, to ensure that they obtain their Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, before the election to choose their preferred candidates.
Some of the defectors to the APGA, Comrade Okoro C. Okoro - the former PDP Chieftain, Hon Ene Odii - the former Coordinator of the Ohaozara East Development Centre, among others, said they chose to defect to APGA following different internal crises rocking their former parties in the state.
