The leadership of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has received about 3,500 defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State.
Obingwa is Governor Okezie Ikpeazuโs local government, which is noted for its high voting strength in the state. In the last general elections, it was said to have delivered over 82,000 of votes that gave Ikpeazu victory.
The defectors should have been received by APGA leaders at a ceremony held last week at the National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN), Umuokahia, Obingwa council area, but it was disrupted by thugs allegedly hired by the PDP. This, it was said, prompted the party chairman to issue a statement condemning the action.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Maduka Akpulonu said the group decided to dump the PDP for APGA because โthe party party has failed to provide purposeful governance to the people of the state in the past 20 yearsโ.
He accused chieftains of his former party of making efforts to stop them from defecting to APGA, stressing that nothing will make them to return to the PDP.
His words: โWe decided to dump our former party for APGA because PDP as a party has failed to provide purposeful governance to the people of the state. Some chieftains of our former party made efforts to stop us from defecting to APGA, but we resisted the move, saying nothing will make us return to PDP.โ
While welcoming governorship aspirant, Dr. Alex Otti, and other party leaders to the area, Akpulonu urged Otti to extend his campaign to all the 11 wards in the council. The chairman apologised for the botched rally.
He said: โWe apologise for the botched rally last week. Our defection has shaken the PDP to its foundation in Obingwa. They frustrated our efforts to dump the PDP. The party (PDP) wonโt do anything for the people and wonโt allow them to leave to a better party.โ
