The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) lawmaker representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, has debunked the claim by the party’s National Chairman, Sir Victor Umeh, that immediate past governor of the state, Mr. Peter Obi, influenced him and other APGA federal lawmakers to leave APGA for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Umeh levelled the allegation while speaking with newsmen over the weekend in the Aguleri country home of Governor Willie Obiano.

Ogene, however, told APGA officials from all the wards in Ogbaru Federal Constituency that what happened was that there was a meeting on whether it would be better for all the elected federal lawmakers to contest on the same political party with President Goodluck Jonathan since all the elections for 2015 would be contested on the same day.

“After the meeting, we discussed with Governor Willie Obiano and because of the issues involved, I have been meeting with stakeholders in the constituency, including traditional rulers and the clergy on the issue and it has been decided that we should remain in APGA,” Ogene told the local APGA chiefs gathered Sunday at Atani, headquarters of Ogbaru LGA.

The journalist-turned-politician, one of the four APGA federal lawmakers from Anambra State recently reported to have defected to PDP, assured APGA faithful that he has not left the party. He said he could not have left the party that sent him to the National Assembly without informing fellow party members, explaining that he never resigned from APGA in his ward which ought to be the starting point if he were to leave the party.

Hera him: “I have not left APGA and I remain a committed member of the party. It is the people that sent me to Abuja and there was no way I could have left APGA without informing you.

“As a representative of the people, there is need for me to explain to those who elected me when an issue of this nature arises.

“It is you, the party members, that will decide if I will go for a second term. What happened was that there was argument that support for President Jonathan will be maximised if we all belong to one political party, but that is not the case now.

“If you support me for second term, I will continue to support you, but you must remain steadfast in your support to APGA to avoid a situation whereby some people would pretend to be in APGA, while they are working for another political party.”

Ogene further promised to continue with his quality representation, adding that all the outstanding issues concerning their welfare would henceforth be vigorously pursued.

In their various speeches, the APGA officials said they were shocked when they read in the media that Ogene was among those who defected, saying that if he had done so, his integrity as a politician would have been questioned.

In his remarks, Chairman of Ogene’s Akili Ogidi/Obeagwe Ward, Mr. Emeka Odogwu, said it was unfortunate that some people wanted to use Hon. Ogene to destabilise APGA in the area.

“I am happy today because the story we heard has turned out not to be true,” he said.

•Photo shows APGA House of Reps member, Hon. Afam Ogene.

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