The National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye, has said that the battle for the Anambra State 2017 governorship election is the major reason for the stalemate in the Anambra Central senatorial rerun election.

Speaking yesterday with journalists in Awka, Obi-Okoye said: “The opposition parties in the state are determined to stop the incumbent governor, Chief Willie Obiano, and they felt that the first step to achieving it was by creating a stalemate in Anambra Central by applying all intrigues to stop Chief Victor Umeh from going to the Senate.”

He noted that his party was aware of the situation and was therefore leaving no stone unturned to ensure the success of the party in both the rerun election and the 2017 governorship poll.

Obi-Okoye assured that Obiano would be re-elected even as Umeh would emerge the Senator for Anambra Central. He stressed that APGA was aware that part of the strategy of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state was to use the former governor of the state, Mr. Peter Obi, to make inroad in Anambra Central before the 2017 governorship election by pressurising him to become the PDP senatorial candidate for the zone in the rerun election.

“That is why APGA is putting everything into the senatorial selection because it has everything to do with the 2017 governorship election. Those creating the stalemate in the senatorial election are only buying time. We are conscious of the challenges we have and we are taking care of them,” he said.

The APGA National Publicity Secretary further pointed out that part of the party’s strategy is to unite all the members in order to muster the strength to be able to face the opposition. He said that was for that reason why a reconciliation committee has been set up by the party.

Obi-Okoye noted that everything has been done in the past two months to bring back all aggrieved members back to the party so that they can operate as members of one family, adding that desired results are already being achieved.

•Photo shows Governor Obiano.