The newly formed Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA) has stated its readiness to contest theNovember 18governorship election in Anambra State as well as the 2019 presidential election, saying they are the party to beat.

Speaking on the party’s agenda at a press conference in his country home, Nnewi, the interim Chairman of the party in the state, Dara Obunike Ohaegbu, said that though APDA is a new political party, it has the capacity to dislodge the incumbent government in the state as well as the All Progressives Congress (APC) that is holding sway at the centre.

He noted that with the silence of PDP, the party will stand as the strongest and only opposition party ever to be in Nigeria.

Ohaegbu observed that the policy structure has been organised in such a way that it will encourage both youth and women participation as well as the physically challenged adding that the membership window is open to anybody who wishes to align with the party’s principles and policies.

While calling on the incumbent Governor, Willie Obiano, to refrain from using the picture of late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu as a political bargaining tool, he said that nothing tangible has been done for him since he died. The interim chairman added that there is need to play down on government policies that are unfavourable to other political parties.

In his words, “I say with every confidence, APDA is the party to beat. We will win not just the governorship election in the state because of what we stand for, we will also win the presidential election come 2019. The party is not funded by any individual for it to be hood winked into doing what the person wants as a financier.We the members of the party finance our party by ourselves through contributions and registration.

“There are no financiers in APDA as being rumoured and I believe the members of the party are well able to take care of any need that may arise in the party at any time. Former Governor Peter Obi is not the party’s financier as being rumoured. He has the right to join whatever party he likes.

“We want to build an independent political party and we intend as a party to use transparency as a tool to win the hearts of both Anambra people and Nigeria as a whole.”