No fewer than 2,000 members of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), from the 14 wards in Ukwa West Local Government area of Abia State, have dumped the party for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
The defectors were led into the APC fold, by the State Deputy Chairman, Chief Ogunka John Adiele, alongside the APC legal Adviser, the LGA woman leader, the LGA youth leader, the Obuzor Ward Chairman of the APC among other decampees in a well attended declaration ceremony held at Obehie, in Ukwa West LGA of the state, on Wednesday.
However, adducing the rationale behind their defection to the Peoples Democratic Party, the APC decampees, regretted that his former party has sunk necessitated by lack of internal democracy, harmonization of interests in the party and nepotism etc.
The defectors revealed that they decided to return to the people because of the explicit confidence they have in Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and the Peoples Democratic Party in taking the state to a height.
The former APC members further extolled the Abia Chief Executive for his infrastructural strides, numerous empowerment programmes as well as the existing unity between the PDP-led State Working Committee, pledging their commitment to the vision of the party in winning all future elective positions.
They equally pledged to assist in enhancing the growth of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.
“The present administration has demonstrated people-oriented leadership through execution of completed and ongoing Infrastructural projects which scatters every parts of Abia.
“We return to PDP to encourage the Ikpeazu-les government, and let it not be deter on its impressive performances that enhances development in all facets of governance in the state. It is indeed overwhelming and pleasure that the governor has risen the bar in infrastructures, so we are in PDP today is towards ensuring all PDP elected leaders at all levels of governance in Abia are supported and encouraged to enable them consolidate on the laudable and tremendous gains recorded, aiming at making the state a new destination for local and foreign business investment,” he said.
Welcoming the ex-APC members, the Chairman of PDP in Abia and former Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Alwell Asoforo Okere , applauded the decampees for their mature decision in returning to the PDP.
Okere stressed that the umbrella party is large enough to accommodate all interests of her members, and assured them of equal opportunities like other members of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Speaking at the event, the leader of the PDP Stakeholders Caucus in Ukwa West and a Commissioner-designate, Chief Barr. Samuel Okezie Nwogu , the Executive Chairman of Ukwa West LGA represented by his Deputy, Chief John Ajuzieogu, the Executive Chairman of Ukwa East LGA, Hon Chuks Wabara also commended the decampees for dumping their former political party for the PDP while urging them to see the party as the only hope for the people of the area and the State in general
They promised to accord them all the necessary support and encouragement needed as members of the party.
Highlight of the event was the physical destruction of their former party’s membership cards by the decampees and the presentation of PDP flags to the defectors.
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