…Opens up on defection from APGA to LP
Tony Okafor, Awka
A former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Senator Victor Umeh, has explained why he defected to the Labour Party (LP).
He said joining forces to campaign across the country with the LP presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, for a president of Nigeria from the South-East would make him happier than staying back in APGA, where the hierarchy had shown demonstrable hatred for him by paying in foreign currency to edge him out from APGA during its primary election.
Umeh stated this in an exclusive interview with New National Star on Monday in Awka, the Anambra State capital.
He said, “There was a call to join the senatorial race to advance the cause of the people. That was what motivated me to join the race. There was a clarion call for me to join this senatorial race. I consulted extensively and widely and they gave me their nod, before I declared.
“The momentum was huge and those who didn’t want me there (in APGA) knew they would not be able to stop me easily and they resorted to all sorts of antics. I have heard some of them say it was free and fair… How can it be free and fair when important party leaders were intimidating delegates, calling them and telling them not to vote for me?
“When they saw that was not working, they resorted to sharing $1,000, $800 and $600 to delegates. We know the state of the country’s economy, you won’t expect someone who is hungry to reject money or even be able to differentiate between the mission and vision of some people.
“But in all, I was satisfied with the delegates. 151 delegates voted for me, despite the intimidation and money that was shared in foreign currency, I still had 151 votes, so I lost the primary by just 11 votes by their declaration.
“After the declaration of that result, some people who were there started calling me and telling me to insist on a recount of the votes that there were things that they saw. I said it is gone. I can’t go back to ask for a recount, whether they took my votes and gave it to another person or not, that is gone, and I have let that go.”
He said the only thing that was soul lifting spiritually for him was that when the result was announced, Mr Peter Obi was among the earliest people to call him to express sadness over the development.
“He (Obi) said no matter what, what I’m doing for Igbo people, what I was doing for APGA, I did not deserve that kind of treatment. He asked me to consider reaching out to Labour Party leaders, if I want to continue this struggle. I told him I would reflect over it. I consulted and I got overwhelming support that I should move . So what has happened now is that the door that was temporarily closed is now open.
“The decision on who will represent Anambra Central Senatorial District will be made by the electorate, and not by a handful of persons who will be sharing money. They will give the electorate $1,000 or $2,000 but that will not make any impact. People who saw what I have been doing, what I represent in the lives of our people, the life of Igbo people, what I represent, my commitment, my passion for service and my advocacy for the rights of our people to end the marginalization of our people will vote for me.
“Since that APGA Senatorial result was declared, it’s been cries and mournings and questions begging for answers every where, even from outside Anambra State, not to talk about in Anambra State. Thank God we have moved on. Life has been renewed, and as a Christian, I have bade them goodbye and will continue with what God has asked me to do in my life. I don’t want to dwell in that any more.
“I will focus on the election, campaigning with Mr Peter Obi around Nigeria is what will make me happy. I want somebody from the South-East to be the president of Nigeria, and right now, Peter Obi is about the best candidate available. I will go round Nigeria with him.
“I will go round my senatorial district with him and campaign with him, so that we begin to rebuild the things we started. This APGA you are seeing today, which some people are revelling around it, I and Mr Peter Obi took it from nothing and made it formidable. Even when he left, I stayed behind to fight and defend the party up to the governorship election last year.
“So I don’t know what informed the people in authority to hatch this plot against me and I feel I don’t deserve it. The public has said so, but it’s something that has gone. Let us use this opportunity to make a difference for our people.
“If I win this election that is forthcoming, the 10th Senate will know that somebody who came and stayed for 17 months is now back for four years, and I will do it democratically as I did in the eighth Senate, with any person of goodwill to preach to Nigerians that all Nigerians must live with equal rights, all parts of Nigeria.
“If they want Nigeria to continue to be a country, all parts of Nigeria must be accommodated in the affairs of government, be it in the sharing of infrastructure, appointment at all levels, anything government should do, nobody should be left behind. There are various unrests in Nigeria today. People are rebelling because of the manner things have been handled. If you handled things evenly, people will be happy.”
He said he would be going back to the 10th Senate (if elected) to fashion a new Nigeria through lawmaking, adding that when he was in the 8th Senate, he was the chairman of Senate Committee on Labour and Productivity, and the he championed labour matters, including the minimum wage bill and interacted with labour
“So, coming to Labour Party is bringing me to a familiar terrain and we will continue to fight for a Nigeria where peace and equity will reign Supreme,” the former APGA chieftain stated.