A former Managing Director of Diamond Bank Plc, Dr. Alex Oti on Tuesday, in Abuja, dumped the Peoples Democratic Party and picked the All Progressives Grand Alliance nomination form for the 2015 governorship elections in Abia State.
Oti picked the APGA governorship nomination form after paying N2m for the expression of interest form and N10m for the nomination form at the APGA national headquarters.
He premised his decision to join APGA on his strong belief in the party’s ideology and his “determination to rescue Abia State from total collapse.”
The ex-banker said, “I have left the PDP and, to me, coming to APGA is like a homecoming. I like to use this opportunity to thank APGA leadership for warmly welcoming me to your office and welcoming me home. I have always said that APGA is not a political party but a religion for Nigerians, some of you will recall that when our national leader (Chief Chukwuemeka Ojukwu) died, we did everything to make sure that he was given a befitting burial. I was the Chairman of the finance sub-committee for the burial.
“I am very happy to be back home. We have a mission to take back our state and put it back on the part of progress and industrialisation. We have started that journey, we know that there is a whole lot we could do. When I look at Aba, I regret that I did not take this decision to serve my people (long ago). It is a great sacrifice for me to leave what I was doing until a few weeks ago. But it is not too late, we are here to win and we must win.”
The National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, while welcoming Oti to the party assured every aspirant on the party’s platform of a level playing field.
According to him, APGA was determined to win more seats in next year’s general elections.
He said, “Oti has, after consultations, decided to come to APGA, the party on whose platform he would win the 2015 governorship election in Abia State. Let me, once more, welcome you to our national secretariat, I saw you in the PDP Secretariat not long ago. Their loss should be our gain.
“We are very delighted to have you here and not only for announcing your resignation from the PDP but also joining APGA, a party which you have described as a movement for the people of Nigeria.
“I want to assure you that APGA is very happy to have you as a member. you are a distinguished Nigerian who has taken Diamond Bank to be one of the most formidable banks in Nigeria. Coming to us to contest for the governorship of Abia State is a huge relief as Abia needs a man that has the ability. We have been reading about the dilapidated state of infrastructure in Abia state and especially in Aba.”
APGA has rescheduled its activities for the conduct of its primaries to select its candidates for next year’s elections.
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