*As Tony Nwulu’s Guber Bid Soars*
There are strong indications that no fewer than 150,000 members of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA are set to defect to the United Progressive Party, UPP in Imo State.
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A top source revealed to this newspaper at the weekend that the APGA faithful in the State are heading to the UPP to give further boost to the governorship aspiration of a leading governorship aspirant in the party, Hon. Tony Nwulu.
The defection is coming barely few weeks the Supreme Court gave a verdict declaring Victor Oye as the national chairman of the party. It was gathered that those who were not favoured by the Ruling of the nation’s apex Court are the ones leaving APGA for the UPP where they are expected to team up with Hon. Tony Nwulu.
Nwulu, a member of the House of Representatives widely known for initiating the Not Too Young To Run bill which was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari recently, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to the UPP.
His governorship ambition has raised the tempo of the governorship contest by attracting massive support and endorsement from thousands of youths in the State.
The defection of teeming Imo APGA members to the UPP is planned for a date yet to be scheduled in Owerri and has been described as the “mother of all political rallies” that will take place in the State in recent times.
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The move, according to the source will be unprecedented and expected to shake the political foundation of Imo State and give political firepower to the the UPP in the coming elections.
Political pundits argue that the defection of thousands of APGA members to the UPP would certainly alter the political equation in the State and energize the UPP to become the much anticipated “Third Force” in Imo politics as the 2019 general elections draws near.
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Another source also revealed to this newspaper that the APGA decampees are heading to Tony Nwulu’s Mezie Imo movement, a well oiled political structure owned by the Ezinihitte Mbaise Federal Lawmaker with vast political tentacles across the nooks and crannies of Imo State.
In addition, this newspaper gathered that about five political parties in the State are already in talks and have already indicated their willingness to endorse Nwulu’s governorship ambition.
Though the names of the political parties are yet to be unveiled, there are clear indications that the political parties will further boost to Nwulu’s governorship bid and also give the UPP the needed firepower to excel in the forthcoming general elections in the State.
The soaring pace, growth and speed of the UPP in the State has made the party quite attractive to many political gladiators in the State who are preparing their arsenal for the forthcoming elections next year.
With the split in Imo APC, comprising two rival factions- Governor Rochas Okorocha “Agburu” camp and the “Allied Forces, there are reports that some notable members of the “Allied Forces” in the APC in the State who are watching unfolding political developments in the APC have already opened talks with top chieftains of the UPP in the State and expressed willingness to support Nwulu’s guber aspiration.
With several court verdicts threatening and tearing the APC in Imo State apart, there are clearer indications that aggrieved APC chieftains in the State have already concluded arrangements to head to the UPP and give massive support to Tony Nwulu.
The UPP is one of the registered political parties in Imo State and its ideology is known to tilt to towards championing the interests of Igbos.