Lagos / Awka — Factional leader of the Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA in Anambra State Chief Martin Okeke, has said that the imposition of candidates on the party at both the state congress and the primaries contributed immensely to the mass defection of PPA members to APGA in the state.

Okeke, who led the decampees to Ekwueme Square in Awka, where the factional National Chairman of APGA , Chief Victor Umeh received the new members said that lack of due process and transparency in party affairs and complete failure to carry members along also prompted their mass exodus to APGA.

It could be recalled that last weekend about 5,000 members of PPA defected to APGA in Anambra State and pledged to work to ensure a total victory for the incumbent governor, Mr Peter Obi in the February 6, 2010 governorship election.

The defectors who carried placards some of which had the inscription, 'PPA is undemocratic and full of injustice and lack of due process, Governor Peter Obi has performed wonderfully and we appreciate the effort,' among others at the occasion tore their PPA membership cards and embraced APGA, which they described as 'the only solution to the development of the state.'

In his response, the factional national chairmen of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh while receiving the new members expressed delight over the development which he described as a positive move to bring back the lost glory of Igbo man and the development of the state in particular.

"The Igbo people in Nigeria have self determination on who should lead them. Nobody has the right to dictate to the people of Anambra state on who will be their governor," Umeh stressed.

Thousands of Anambra State chapter of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) members from the 21 local government areas of the state, had weekend, joined the ruling All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).

Led by the factional state chairman of the party, Okeke, the defectors who trooped to the Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka pledged total support for Governor Peter Obi.

They said they left PPA following the imposition of Mrs. Uche Ekwunife on the party during the party's primaries by those who they alleged collected money from her. They also referred to the same imposition of unpopular candidates on the party during the congresses.

According to Okeke, the lack of transparency, due process and failure of the party to carry members along had reduced PPA to a ghost of its former self and had led to the factionalisation of the party.

"To me, today is the fulfilment of a dream. I had long planned to work with His Excellency, Peter Obi , but never had the opportunity. Today, God has fulfilled my dream by making me a member of the governor's campaign team in my capacity as factional chairman of PPA in Anambra State. Let me emphasise that 'Okwute', governor, is the candidate we recognise for the 2010 election. My faction will take steps to ensure a landslide victory for His Excellency," Okeke assured.

Earlier, the state PPA organising secretary, Ikechukwu Egesiuba , said they decided to join APGA because of Obi's style of governance, achievements and personal character and lack of depth in other parties. "We cannot go back to Pharaoh in Egypt," declared Egesiuba.

Also joining APGA were some members of Action Congress (AC), PPA members from the Hausa community led by Sergeant Musa with 300 members, Yoruba community led by Wole Adebayo and Abia State community in Anambra led by Hon. Ubi Ekeke.

While welcoming them, the National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, noted that what they had done was like brothers rejoining their brothers, but quickly observed that though brothers they may be, PPA was a counterfeit of APGA.