UPP formalises merger with APGA faithful

The National Executive Committee of the United Progressive Party (UPP) on Thursday formalised the merger between members of the party and a section of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Enugu State.

The Chairman of the UPP harmonisation committee, Chief Chris Uche, said at a meeting in Enugu that the exercise became necessary to forestall mutual suspicion between the founding members of the party and the new entrants.

Uche said that the national leadership of the party had agreed to a sharing formulae between the two groups, adding that no one needed to feel cheated under the new arrangement.

He said that 70 per cent of the party structure in the state would be retained by the founding members of the party while those from APGA would get 30 per cent.

“This meeting signals the birth of the merger between the two parties as we formally receive the APGA structure in the state.

“Some founding members of the UPP have been jittery, thinking that their positions will been usurped under the new arrangement.”

Uche said that the leadership of the party wanted to carry everybody along to justify the confidence it had on party faithful.

He noted that similar harmonisation had been done in states in the South-West, which he said, had embraced the party.

The chairman further said that the same exercise had also been perfected in Abia, Anambra and Imo, adding that Ebonyi had no issues as the entire APGA structure in the state had collapsed into UPP.

Uche said that the party had taken root in the South-East and was ready to prosecute the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra.

In his remark, the Chairman of the state chapter of UPP, Mr Ken Onyekaonwu, described the occasion as historic.

Onyekaonwu said that members of UPP were ready to receive APGA structure in the state which, according to him, has become ubsumed to their party.

“UPP has come to stay in Enugu and we see it as a way of having total control of our state.

“The foundation members of the APGA, with 90 per cent of members of the party in the state, are joining us today and we are happy.”

Onyekaonwu said that the party had a unique ideology and belief in the welfare of the people.

Also speaking, the Chairman of APGA in the state, Mr Ogbonna Agu, said the members decided to join UPP due to the incessant crisis that had bedevilled the party since 2011.

Agu said that remaining in APGA would amount to going into political oblivion, adding that the party had collapsed in the state.

“APGA is in a big trouble in Enugu. It has been enmeshed in one problem or the other since 2011 and we see UPP as the most credible option.”

Agu said that he joined the new party with all members of APGA State Working Committee and their supporters.