WRITTEN BY EGBUNA AMUTA
Governor Willie Obiano joined the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in August 2013 and he became the party’s standard bearer in that year’s gubernatorial election.

At the time of his entering the party, Obiano had retired as an accomplished banker and auditor, and had settled for a quiet life in Houston Texas in the United States of America with his family. Before then, he was adept in boardroom politics; the murky waters of partisan politics were alien to him.
However, he was compelled to accept the clarion call of APGA and the good people of Anambra North Senatorial District to take their turn as the governor of the state. Then, no person of Anambra North extraction had occupied the Awka Government House since Anambra was created in 1991. In compliance with the zoning and rotation formula of APGA and its written agreement with Anambra North stakeholders, known as “the 2009 Nteje Accord” the lot fell on Obiano to govern the state from 2014.
The South and Central Senatorial zones had, at various times, governed the state through Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Dr. Chinweoke Mbadibuju, Senator Chris Ngige and Mr. Peter Obi. However, Obiano performed so well in office despite the fact that he was new in politics then. Hence, his re-election in 2017.
Ahead of the election, Obiano was made the National Leader and Board of Trustees Chairman of APGA. Under his watch the party has been growing from strength to strength.
Today, apart from total control of Anambra state, APGA is also in charge of the Gwagwalada Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Presently, the party has very strong footholds in Abia and Imo states as well as Taraba, Bayelsa, Nasarawa and Zamfara states among others.
The cordiality and synergy among the hierarchy of APGA since Akpokuedike assumed the leadership of the party is commendable and worthy of emulation. This is not to say that the party is completely bereft of a few dissenting voices. Perhaps, this explains why a group of former defiant challenged the National Chairmanship of Dr. Victor Oye, until the matter was resolved by the judgement of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. APGA is, today, very peaceful and without factions. It is in this cheerful spirit that the party is bracing for the 2019 general elections in the country.
From all indications, the All Progressives Grand Alliance would, apart from sweeping the polls once again in Anambra, foray successfully into other states where it stands very good chance of winning some seats in the governorship as well as legislative elections. Thus, Governor Obiano, during the recent retreat in Awka for all elective office aspirants on the platform of APGA in the country, promised level playing fields to them during the party’s primaries.
Above all, that Governor Obiano is doing very well in governance is an open secret in Nigeria. His administration is the most people-oriented in the country. The present Anambra state government is the most prudent in the management of resources as has been attested by Nigeria’s Debt Management Office, DMO, Abuja. Anambra, under Obiano, is the least indebted state in the country today.
Good governance and verifiable delivery of democracy dividends by APGA governments in the state in the past twelve years and six months have made the party the darling of the people in many states of the federation, especially the Southeast geopolitical zone.
This is bound to manifest clearly in next year’s general elections, if the polls would be free, fair and credible. However, just as in other political parties, the outcome of primaries towards the 2019 general elections might rattle some people.
Nonetheless, majority of party faithful should remain steadfast in their belief in the ideology and philosophy of APGA as encapsulated in its motto: “Onye aghana nwanne ya.”
Being the Leader and Board of Trustees Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Governor Obiano is the repository of the conscience of the party. He has the fundamental interests of party members at heart. Therefore, he deserves the unflinching support and loyalty of all in the task ahead.

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