CHIEF Victor Ike Oye took over from Chief Victor Umeh as the national chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA last year. In this interview, Oye spoke on his efforts to improve the fortunes of the party in the country, the defection of Governor Okorocha and former Governor Peter Obi, the 2019 presidential election, among other issues. Excerpts:

By Vincent Ujumadu

How has it been since you took over as national chairman of APGA?

The past nine months have been very eventful, very enriching. It has not been easy and I never expected it to be easy anyway because nothing good comes easy. I have a great vision for this party. I prepared myself for the great task. As I speak to you, we have APGA offices in 35 cities in the world. We have a very strong base in Europe and other African countries.

But APGA is still a one state party?

APGA cannot be described as a one state party. We have won elections in many parts of the country. We control the executive and legislative arms in Anambra, We have three members from the state in the House of Representatives. In Bayelsa, we also have two members in the House of Assembly.

Great vision for the party

We also have one member in Taraba State House of Assembly and one in the House of Representatives. In Abia, we have 10 out of 24 members in the House of Assembly despite the intrigues that trailed elections in that state. So generally, APGA is a strong brand.

By 2017, Nigerians will see a different APGA before we go into the 2019 election. Remember that APGA is still in charge of Imo State. Forget that Governor Okorocha jumped ship.

He went into APC as APGA governor and told APC that APGA was part of what he was doing. That is because in this country people do things anyhow; otherwise Rochas Okorocha shouldn’t remain in office as governor. So, Imo State remains an APGA state.

The defection of former Governor Peter Obi to PDP must have infuriated members of APGA going by the controversy it is generating?

•Oye: The people in PDP will never trust Obi

Former Governor Peter Obi is our beloved brother. He made his mark in this state. He laid the foundation of whatever successes the state has achieved. He set up the structures we are enjoying in Anambra State.

As far as we are concerned, Peter Obi remains a member of APGA. He is only pretending he is in PDP. The people in PDP will never trust him because they know that he is synonymous with APGA. His body can be PDP, but what is important is the soul and the spirit.

I want to say that Peter Obi is still a member of APGA in spirit and soul. I have not seen any document showing that he resigned from APGA.

Controversy has also trailed the emergence of Governor Obiano as leader and BoT chairman of APGA and you, also from Anambra, as the national chairman.

That cannot be a problem for the party. There is nowhere it is written in our constitution that the governor cannot be the BoT chairman. The issue of BoT chairman and national chairman coming from the same state has not offended any law.

There is also nowhere it is written that the BoT chairman and national chairman cannot come from the same state. Every national chairman comes from a state.

Every political party has its peculiarities and APGA is even unique. Our style makes the party stable. The position of leader and BoT chairman is reserved for somebody of high integrity. APGA considered everything and found Obiano worthy to make him BoT chairman. If tomorrow the party finds any need to change it, why not? But for now, there is no reason whatsoever to think otherwise. Everything is working fine for us and we want to sustain it.

Will APGA contest for the president in 2019?

APGA will present a presidential candidate in 2019. That is why I am appealing to our members all over the world to continue to support us. The sham that happened in Anambra State during the last National Assembly election can never repeat itself.

By 2019, APGA will take over the entire South East. Remember that Bola Tinubu started with AD and won election in Lagos only, but he was able to mobilize other parties to form APC that took over the federal government.

Chief Victor Umeh’s senatorial ambition is facing many obstacles. How do you react to this?

There are forces of darkness working against him, but it is in vain. Umeh became a Senator the day he won the case at the Court of Appeal. Every evidence shows that he won the election of March 28, last year.

However, the Court of Appeal ordered for a rerun and the judgment of that court was clear. We were preparing for the rerun when our opponents saw the handwriting on the wall and did what they know how to do best, which is to use the court to intimidate INEC.