I joined APC to foster unity – Mrs. Ahmadu Ali

The wife of the longest serving National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mrs. Marian Ali, has formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying she joined the party to foster peace, love and unity among Nigerians.

She also said her joining the party is to enable her continue to serve people.

Mrs. Ali was at the National Secretariat of the party on Thursday where she was formally received by the party leadership led by Chief John Odigie Oyegun.

She said: “I know a lot of people will wonder why I have chosen to opt for a political party different from my husband’s. The answer is not farfetched; my family is a unique family, it is a family devoid of religious and ethnic differences.

“You are aware that Dr. Amadu Ali, my husband is a Muslim and I am a passionate Christian (Catholic), also Dr. Amadu Ali is from North Central and I am from the South-South.

“It therefore suffices to say that my becoming an All Progressives Congress member and him being an active member of the Peoples Democratic Party further displays the uniqueness of my family”.
She stressed that her decision to join the APC marks the beginning of greater “peace, love and oneness” amongst Nigerians.

The National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun in his reaction said, “ l have heard news that today was going to happen and l was praying that there should be no change because this is one of those that gave us trouble and also gave PDP some level of trouble while she too was equally troubled.

“But l am glad now that this day has come that you are joining the APC because of your determination to render service to your people and the nation, which means that you have looked around, you have looked at your environment in the PDP and you have decided consciously after deep thought that the best vehicle available today on which platform you can render that service is the APC and l want to congratulate you.

“I Congratulate you because you are not somebody who is flippant or somebody who is frivolous but somebody who come from a very serious family background.

“Yes, your husband was the longest serving National chairman of the PDP and it is not as it is very long ago, it is a very recent past yet you down played the impact of what you are doing on the family and the rest of the people but l cannot but believe that this is something that was discussed; this is something that was argued and this is an argument in which you prevailed, so, l have a strong feeling that those argument will still be in peoples mind”, Oyegun said.

The party Chairman hinted that such events (people joining the APC from other parties) will keep reoccurring within the coming weeks, months and years. He also expressed the hope that what Mrs. Ali has started will eventually become a “family thing”.

Reacting to the development, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege said Mrs. Ali will be an asset to the APC because she comes with her background as a grassroots politician.

“The coming of Dr. Mariam Ali and her immense grassroots support base to the All Progressives Congress is, without question, a major strategic achievement for our great party.

“It is a carefully thought out game changer in our reengineering of the grassroots machinery of the APC in Delta North and Delta State as a whole.

“It is clearly a practical demonstration of our firm belief that true political strength only grows when reputable, courageous and competent leaders join a party”.