- To field presidential candidate
By Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has said that it will contest the next presidential election in 2019.
The leadership of the party which is still basking in the euphoria of the outstanding performance it posted at the just concluded governorship election in Anambra State, said winning the presidency, is a possibility and that APGA will present its presidential candidate when the time comes.
Speaking in an interview with THISDAY shortly after a meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party in Abuja at the weekend, the National Chairman, Victor Ike Oye, said APGA hopes to leverage on the collaboration with other political parties to actualise the presidential dream.
“We need to leverage on the cooperation of other political parties, APGA has always believed in what God can do for us, God is leading this party to a greater heights, so when we get to the bridge we will cross it. In terms of winning the presidency, it is doable, and that is why APGA will present its presidential candidate when the time comes and all the other political parties will corporate with us. So as time progresses, we will let you into other plans we have,†he said.
Speaking on the victory of the party in the Anambra State governorship election held on November 18, Oye said APGA’s popularity at the grassroots was responsible for its ability to surmount the challenge posed by opponents during the contest.
He explained that Governor Willie Obiano became very popular with the people of the state on the account of his community-based projects which have touched their lives.
“Anambra people are in for wonderful years ahead because for example, the do it yourself development programme in the state where the governor gives twenty million to each community for a development project.
“We have 181 communities in the state, so it was 20million per community, we have done that two times, and now the governor has increase it to 40million for the remaining four years of his second term.
“That means before he leaves office in 2022, he would have done 10 projects in every community in Anambra State and that amounts to two hundred million naira per community and billions of naira across the state, and it worth doing because bringing development to the grassroots; that is the essence of governance. The people must feel the presence of government.
“That is what has happened in Anambra State under APGA, that is why we are looking to do more harvests in other states of the federation, because people are beginning to appreciate APGA as a political party. This has also confirmed what we told you that APGA is the only party in Nigeria with a clear cut ideology, so we are confident that we will do better in 2019, leveraging on the support we are getting from the press,†he said.
