The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) today came down hard on its former member, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, dismissing him as an ingrate who deserves pity.

“We at the APGA are shocked at how people easily forget yesterday, and denigrate those on whose backs they achieved their esteem. Talk about being ungrateful,” the party said in a statement issued in Abuja by its Publicity Bureau. It was reacting to a statement credited to Okorocha that APGA is a regional party dependent on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State.

APGA described the statement as being “in very poor taste and derogatory.” It reminded Okorocha that he “owes all his high office and current political exposure to APGA and its electorate,” adding: “We, at the APGA really wonder what medication the Governor has been taking. Hopefully, not APC.

“We also ask, where was the APC before he mounted the governorship saddle?

“We would remind Okorocha that our APGA National Party stood on its own – AS IS, when he came begging, cajoling, then threatening hell and brimstone to be allowed membership.

“We remind Governor Okorocha that in his determination to join our regional party he carried thugs to beat up the APGA state executives at the APGA state secretariat in Owerri, Imo state, maiming some APGA state executives. We remind Okorocha that the erstwhile APGA State Chairman, Nze C.C Nwaka, carries the physical scars of same attack till today.

“Amazing, how we use and drop. Okorocha exactly knew what APGA stood for, before he hightailed from Abuja to Owerri to join the party. We, at the APGA ask, If Okorocha was so popular and accepted at Abuja, or Jos, why did he run with tail tucked between his legs to a local enclave as Owerri? It is now a well-known fact that Governor Okorocha exhausted his welcome in the PDP, and came begging for resuscitation from his home front. Okorocha now belittles and maligns those who re-instated him politically. Talk about users and ingratitude. A saying goes ‘You should never spit in your own well, you might come back to it for a drink.’ Oh, Yes.

“We further ask the Governor to please tell all, how dependent APGA was when it took the presence of the wife of our great leader, Her Excellency, Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu, to introduce him to APGA adherents in Imo state?, a bid made to increase his acceptance amongst the local APGA electorate. Okorocha should also tell us how dependent APGA was when he sewed APGA clothing for himself and others, dressed, campaigned heavily under the APGA umbrella, and won elections under the APGA platform?. Okorocha should tell us how dependent APGA was when he gushed with gratefulness to all in the party hierarchy after winning the Imo State elections.

“Okorocha should further tell us how dependent APGA was when he had a chance to build APGA’s political structure with the wherewithal of a state purse, and shirked same responsibility. Or, how dependent APGA has been since he left for APC? Talk about taking your electorate for granted. We, at the APGA are truly disappointed at this demonstration of a lack of any deep political understanding, or strategy for our electorate by this political journeyman.

Okorocha understood the groundswell support APGA had and still has, in the South-East and Imo State in particular, before decamping from the PDP to come home to Imo state to contest Gubernatorials under the APGA National banner. Okorocha had a choice then to contest under the ANPP banner, AC banner, AD banner, even his own AA banner, he did not. He sought after the APGA.

“Inquiring minds ask, if all his new cronies were so benevolent then, why did Okorocha not join them? Okorocha exactly knew the firm belief APGA adherents had of APGA’s mission. Okorocha cannot claim ignorance to this mission. It is something he was exposed to but lacked the courage to engage. We at the APGA, now understand Okorocha only meant to use, not develop. Bad Strategy.

“Okorocha lamented that APGA was stuck in a regional mindframe. Wow! If Okorocha does not know, understanding regional politics is the beginning of political wisdom. The great Thomas ‘Tip’ O’Neill, Legendary former Speaker of the American Federal House of Representatives in the 70’s and 80’s, reminded us that ‘All politics is local.’ This truism holds forth till date. APGA surely then knows what it is doing. Regarding regional politics, we would remind Okorocha that his new mentors are well-known regional heads from the South-West and North-East Nigeria. They too, probably understand a little of the necessary background to any political build-up, as they can faithfully talk about the essence of a regional backbone in any Federal conversation. What does Okorocha understand? Okorocha cannot wander from one regional head to join another regional head. It must be the sokugo. Don’t ask us where he contracted it from.

We would remind Governor Okorocha that he was given an opportunity in APGA to lead the party, which he distanced himself from. Governor Okorocha’s antecedents rat him out. Okorocha could not persevere to build a structure in PDP, he could not build a structure in Action Alliance (AA), and he could neither build a structure in APGA. Okorocha could not coalesce the APGA structures, even when the APGA provided him a State, able men, materiel and funding. Talk about marrying a wife for someone and still having to tell them how to begin reproduction. Naaaah! Where did this guy come from anyway?

“Where and when is Governor Okorocha going to take a firm stand and fight for his political beliefs?. Always running from one pillar to another post. His antecedents reveal him as one who reaps where others have sown. Even in the APC, Governor Okorocha has difficulty giving his all. Has anybody noticed his difficulty in wearing their matching party uniforms?. The vacillation continues. APGA does not need men with unstable beliefs.

“Governor Okorocha’s comments reveal him as one who is undecided of his political stance. APGA or APC? We ask Governor Okorocha to make up his mind. He is either in APGA or not. The Anambra experience must be a huge eye-opener, IGBOS are no fools. And, to think that the APGA is dependent on the APC in Imo State? Talk about turning the tables and creating a political monster. Someone, surely is living in a fool’s paradise. It must be that medication again.

Governor Rochas Okorocha should understand that APGA is very aware that all his political jaunts and bravery are done under APGA cover, financing and exposure. He cannot rob Peter to pay Paul. Our electorate frowns at such brazen robbery and effrontery. The APGA electorate, will one day demand a firm account of all that was used, said and done in the name of their mandate. That day is coming. Soon. Very soon.

“It is open knowledge that the APGA has a national political stand whose adherents just demonstrated their faith and commitment in the just concluded Anambra State gubernatorial elections. Governor Okorocha must be shocked that where he failed to tread and lead, others bravely sojourned and conquered. We, at APGA do not need to prove ourselves to anybody. We’ve played this game before and to the hilt. There is no haste. We make very careful but deliberate political choices, in the interest of our electorate.

“APGA would warn that People should be careful of their utterances especially when they suffer deep self-inflicted and life-threatening political wounds. Okorocha’s monologue reflects a deeply troubled man who heavily misread, and miscalculated his polity. It suddenly dawned on Okorocha that the APGA are not doing any political experimenting. We exactly know where we stand all the time. No matter what it looks like.

“In ending, we will refer Okorocha to his own comments in his periods of political sanity “… We are APGA before any political party.” He should never forget that. If Okorocha’s name suggests anything, it means he should stay home and build his given political base. He’ll be amazed at what will result.”

•Photo shows Governor Okorocha.

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