By Chikaodi Chukwuleta
The Anambra State Chairman of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in the state, Eminent Uzochukwu, has confirmed the absorption of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into the APM, saying the development was concluded at a meeting in Abuja.
Uzochukwu disclosed this at the APM party secretariat in Awka, where he also spoke on the party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections and the need for members to take responsibility for mobilisation at the ward and polling unit levels.
“It is a reality that PDP has emerged with APM. PDP has been absorbed into the party. When we went for a meeting in Abuja, we were informed that PDP is now part of us, but the toga of PDP has been dropped. They are now members of the Allied Peoples Movement,” he said.
He said the absorption covered the various levels of the party structure, explaining that the absence of vacant positions in some areas would not affect the membership status of former PDP members.
“There are vacancies in some places, but where there are no vacancies, they are still part of us. It is very clear: no more PDP. The members of PDP are now members of APM,” Uzochukwu said.
The APM chairman also spoke about the role of former PDP members in the party’s emerging structure, naming Mr. Oddy, whom he described as a former PDP governorship candidate in Ebonyi State, as the person in charge of the party’s presidential campaign in the South-East.
“The man who is in charge of the presidential campaign in the South-East was a member of PDP. Mr. Oddy contested for governor of Ebonyi State. In quotes, he ‘lost,’ but he didn’t lose. He was bamboozled out. As far as we are concerned, that faction of PDP no longer exists. What exists now is APM, and they have been absorbed,” he said.
Uzochukwu said the party had moved beyond the stage of preparing for its primaries, with candidates now known and the next task being the organisation of its polling unit structures.
He said APM members were being mobilised for the field and urged them to take ownership of the party’s activities rather than wait for candidates or senior party officials to direct every move.
“We have plans and have done all that is necessary to win the election. We have foot soldiers who will go to the field and win the election,” he said.
Explaining what he meant by “foot soldiers”, Uzochukwu said they were committed party members capable of organising meetings and mobilising supporters without waiting for candidates to initiate every activity.
“The foot soldiers in our midst are people who can call meetings without waiting to reach out to their candidates. That shows commitment and ownership. It is a sign of growth of the party,” he said.
He also cautioned members against expecting immediate results from their political efforts, using farming as an illustration of the patience required to build a political organisation.
“The mistake people make is farming and harvesting at the same time. That is the problem we have with politics. You need to be patient. Plant, clear the bush, and wait. Everything will mature and then you start harvesting. That is how politics is,” he said.
With the party primaries concluded and its candidates known, Uzochukwu said the immediate task before the APM was the collection and uploading of information on polling unit agents.
“We have done other stages. The primaries are done. Forms are out. We now know our candidates. The next thing is party agent upload, or what is called polling unit agents. That is what we are facing now, and it is the hardest of it all,” he explained.
He directed the party’s local government chapters to begin collecting the names, photographs, polling unit details and telephone numbers of proposed agents for submission as required.
Uzochukwu said the level of organisation at ward and polling unit levels would have a direct bearing on the party’s performance on election day, urging members to become more active in their respective areas.
He likened the process to preparing for a battle, stressing that a political party needed people on the ground to monitor proceedings and protect its interests during an election.
“You don’t go to war without ammunition and a good plan. Agent upload is embedded in the election. Without it, you are not doing anything,” he said.
He said the party’s election-day arrangement would require candidates and party officials to remain close to their respective polling units and wards while receiving reports from agents and other party members in the field.
“As Chairman, on the day of the election, I will not be here in Awka. I will be at my own polling unit. The candidate will be at his or her own polling unit and ward to cast their vote, then go home and monitor what is going on through phone calls and reports from the field. That is part of the strategy. It is not hidden. It is in the Electoral Act,” he said.
Uzochukwu also said party agents who had been duly accredited and identified in line with electoral requirements would have legal protection while performing their duties at polling units.
He said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would hold further meetings with political parties to clarify issues relating to the conduct of the elections and the responsibilities of agents.
“INEC will soon be calling meetings on all these issues I have mentioned,” he said.
The APM chairman’s comments come as political parties intensify their preparations for the 2027 general elections, with the focus shifting from internal party primaries to grassroots mobilisation, candidate campaigns and the organisation of polling unit structures.
Uzochukwu said APM members in Anambra must therefore move from waiting for instructions to taking responsibility for building the party in their wards and polling units.
