Governor Obiano noted that APGA remains the shortest route to the quest by the Ibos to become the president of Nigeria, stressing that the party is being reformed to provide the platform for the realization of the political interests of the Southeast people of Nigeria.

The governor made these remarks during the celebration of the 53rd birthday anniversary of the former National Chairman of the party Chief Victor Umeh who described his tenure as chairman as ‘turbulent”, but noted that this has provided the leeway for growth of APGA as a truly national party.

Obiano said at the birthday thanksgiving service that APGA remains the best bet for politicians of Igbo extraction with the burning desire to get Igbo president as the leader of the country in the shortest moment.

“That is why we have taken it upon ourselves to build the party to serve the interest of our people. We had a successful national convention where a new leadership emerged after the eventful leadership of Chief Victor Umeh. We are open to all and willing to receive back those members who left the party including former governor Peter Obi”, the governor said.

He commended Umeh for the services and sacrifices he rendered towards the growth and development of APGA, stressing that his singular effort and that of Peter Obi brought the party to where it is as well as his emergence as governor of Anambra State.

Umeh, who was full of praises to God for seeing him through his eight years tenure in office, said the difficulties he encountered arose from the party’s objective of providing platform to the oppressed and marginalized Nigerians.

He stated that his emergence was used to deepen the country’s democracy to the point that APGA could be reckoned with as one of the competent and credible political platforms in Nigeria.

According to Umeh, “The party came into the political space with a big bang and storm in 2003. We won elections in the Southeast as envisaged but our victories were all taken away and the party had to go all out to recover i§ts mandate. I became the pilot for that scheme. I was the pivot of that struggle in Anambra state and we were able to reclaim the mandate for the party and threw up Mr Peter Obi who was our governorship candidate as governor of Anambra state. From 2005 to 2012, I was in the court with our former chairman and to the glory of God we won all.”

He continued: “Through the judicial struggle we were able to redefine a lot of things. We have been able to remove for the first time, a governor that was sworn in after 17 days in Nigeria. We were able to use tenure interpretation to prove that the tenure of a governor starts from the day he takes oath of office for four years. I was the one who initiated that suit. APGA is replete with landmark judicial decisions.”

“We were able to use APGA to prove that the courts have no jurisdiction over affairs of political parties. Through my leadership Okorocha became governor, I got Obi a second term in office, I got Willie Obiano elected as governor of Anambra state after APGA’s eight years reign”.

Umeh stated that the successful handing over to another elected leadership of the party was an indication that the party was on course, stressing that what the new leadership needed to do was to consolidate on the landmark achievements to take the party further.

He said he would continue to provide advise and support to the party at all times, adding that the over 43 suits which he won while in office had paved the way for greater prospects for APGA.