I have no plans to decamp to APC, says Obiano

Promises To Strengthen APGA In S’East

Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano has dismissed insinuations that he plans to dump the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), despite his frequent hobnobbing with President Muhammadu Buhari and other members of the APC.

Dismissing the speculations as unfounded, Obiano, yesterday vowed ‎to remain a member of the APGA and work to strengthen the party, especially in the Southeast.

“No. Never! That is totally unfounded. I will never leave APGA. I am the leader and the BoT Chairman of APGA and again by God’s grace, the governor-elect,” he stressed.

He also downplayed the recent defection of son of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Emeka (Jr.), to the APC at a rally in the state, saying his decision to leave ‎”is of no consequence to the party, I am sorry to say.”

Continuing, Obiano, who spoke with State House Correspondents after a closed-door meeting with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday, said: “My party is very strong ‎in the Southeast. That, you will see very soon in the coming elections and from there, we will match on.”

On his relationship with his predecessor, Mr. Peter Obi, Obiano said: “I don’t have a problem with anybody. I am doing well; I don’t have a problem with anybody.

“We have extended olive branch to my colleagues, my friends that contested with me and as you can see, they ‎have congratulated me and we will hold hands and match on.

“Our private ambitions can never be greater than the interest of Anambra State,” he added.Obiano promised to work harder to justify the confidence reposed in him by the people during the election, where he polled the highest number of votes to defeat his opponents.

He stated: “I thank God, it is the Lord’s doing. To win 21 over 21 is not an easy task; it just showed the faith the people had in me and that is exactly why it happened.

“I thank Ndi Anambra for the confidence reposed on me and reassure them that this will encourage me to work harder.” He explained that his visit to the State House was “to see the President and to thank him for keeping to his word that the election in Anambra will be free and fair, and that is exactly how it went.

“I am very happy to come to report to him personally on the success of the election.“Mr. President was excited that the votes of Ndi Anambra counted and that that is a legacy ‎he wants to leave behind, that he conducted free and fair elections without any interference from the federal,” he said.