Senator Oduah dumps PDP, joins APGA

Senator Princess Stella Oduah, representing Anambra North Senatorial District has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), pitching her political tent with the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Oduah, who served as Minister of Aviation under former President Goodluck Jonathan was elected Senator on the platform of the PDP in 2015.

She fell apart with PDP last year when she could not secure the party’s governorship ticket for the Anambra State governorship election that held late last year.

Addressing APGA chieftains including Senator Victor Umeh, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah,  APGA National Chairman, Dr. Victor Oye, National Secretary and former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku and others at the National Secretariat of APGA in Abuja on Wednesday,  Oduah said she defected to the party because of the party’s philosophy.

She said, “APGA is a movement that cares about other people and that’s what I think politics is all about.  You should be able to make a difference, enhance the live of the average man and woman in your constituency. Holistic movement which APGA stands for is what I cherish. I thank the party for giving me the opportunity to be here and be part of human development. We have a Governor in Anambra State that stands for transformation and a national chairman that isn’t myopic in his view and wants APGA to grow beyond the South- East.  

 “I want to also appreciate my colleague in the Senate, Victor Umeh. He is an epitome of what a legislator should be. 

“As a Senator, my first obligation is to my constituency, then my state and Igbo land; it is on this note that l announce my intention to run for the Anambra North Senatorial seat under APGA. My joining APGA is born out of the conviction that the party is the conscience of the Igbo race”.

In his remarks, Senator Umeh said, “We are very happy to have accompanied Senator Stella Oduah to this secretariat. We are confident that under my successor,  APGA will grow.  We need more senators, governors and members of House of Representatives. That’s how we can grow.  With Oduah, we are now 8. We are the 3rd largest party in Nigeria. I am very happy; I have been alone since I joined the Senate but now, I have a companion. With our members in the House of Representatives, we can confidently talk about APGA caucus in the National Assembly.  With what we have seen today, the weight of APGA caucus is increasing”.
Speaking on behalf of the APGA leadership, the National Secretary,  Labaran Maku said that the development  has shown that APGA will grow from strength to strength. 

He said: “Imo would have been under APGA today, we should have been talking about 4 governors but we are hopeful that the future is brighter than yesterday. I have known her to be a woman of strength who mobilizes. In the Senate she has made tremendous impact and she will improve on that. Our members in the House of Representatives have equally been adding value. Our Governor in Anaambra State has shown that this country can live in peace and stability.  He has shown that APGA is a National brand and we shall continue to add value to democracy”.

The Anambra State APGA chairman, Norbert Obi, in his remarks, expressed his delightfulness at the news that today, Wednesday (Yesterday) Senator Oduah will be joining us.

“By 2019, we shall have so many Governors, Senators and House of Repre
sentatives. It has happened and God will not abandon us.  I want to thank our national chairman for building on the good job of his predecessor, Senator Victor Umeh”, Obi said.

With this defection of Oduah, the PDP has 47 Senators while APGA has 2.