Senator dumps PDP to go 'home' to APGA 'where my heart has always been'

Anambra lawmaker,

The representative of Anambra North senatorial district disclosed her defection during a ceremony at the APGA's national secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday, June 6, 2018.

She said her philosophy resonates with the ideals of the APGA and described the move as the beginning of a new political chapter. She noted that her heart has always been with the party and that it only needed to provide the right structure before she could join.

She said, "I am here as a politician, a true Southeasterner and a very proud Igbo woman. Today is homecoming for me. This is where my heart has always been. Before, the enabling environment was not created for various reasons but now, it exists, so I am now where my heart belongs.

"Political party should be where philosophy resonates. I had always believed that without philosophy, political parties will be mere association of businessmen and women but APGA goes far beyond that. It is a movement.

"APGA is where you care about your neighbour. If you recall in 2011, I started a campaign called 'Neighbour to Neighbour'. The initiative is about caring for our neighbours and that is what party politics is all about; where you have an aspiration to make a difference.

"In politics, it is important that you ensure that what you met is not what you leave behind but that you will always add value and strive to improve the lives of the people."

Senator Oduah was appointed as the Minister for Aviation in 2011 by then-president, Goodluck Jonathan, who removed her in 2014 amid a string of controversies and scandals, most notably the N255 million purchase of two bullet-proofs cars by an agency under her supervision which was discovered to have violated Nigeria's public procurement and appropriation laws.

At her defection ceremony on Wednesday, Oduah was received by the APGA National Executive Council members led by the national chairman, Victor Oye, and national secretary, Labaran Maku, as well as former national chairman and the senator representing Anambra Central, Victor Umeh, and other party officials.