APGA to protest against Jonathan in Otuoke

The All Progressive Grand Alliance, on Monday, said its members across the country would stage a protest march to President Goodluck Jonathan’s hometown, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, over the alleged refusal of the President to give them their share of election largesse which he promised them before the last presidential poll.

The National Organising Secretary of APGA, Dr. Gbenga Afeni, said this in a statement on Monday.

According to the statement, the President allegedly promised to pay APGA some amount of money before agreeing to support Jonathan’s re-election but they had yet to receive anything since the March 28 election.

Afeni said the party was short-changed after supporting Jonathan during the 2011 presidential election, which he won.

The APGA chieftain said that at least 100 members from each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory were ready to march to Otuoke after Jonathan’s exit from Aso Rock to register their displeasure over the breach of agreement by his aides and party leaders.

The statement read, “Arrangements have been concluded to stage a protest march, by at least 100 members of our party from each state of the federation and the FCT, to Otuoke, the hometown of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“The purpose of the march is to protest the breach of agreements between us and the PDP in the 2011 and 2015 general elections. In 2011, APGA supported Jonathan and the PDP to victory and the PDP promised to form a government of national unity inclusive of APGA but the Board of Trustees of the PDP did not consider APGA members for any political appointment.

“Also in 2015, we supported President Jonathan and the PDP but till date, those saddled with the responsibilities of liaising or reaching out to political parties have not shown up by way of appreciation to APGA.”

Afeni said that APGA leaders had suffered much embarrassment from their supporters who “have been daily demanding their share of the election largesse.”

The APGA leader urged the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, and Chief Femi Fani-Kayode to speak out on the issue.

This, he said, would make the APGA members who were expecting their share of the largesse to know that their leaders did not corner their shares of the election booty.