Thousands of the All Progressive Congress (APC) members in Delta State, on Saturday, defected to the People’s Democratic Party.
Led by their leaders, the decampees at the PDP mega rally in Asaba, said APC in the state has been on life support as “we are the engine room before now.”
The defectors who spoke separately at the rally expressed happiness to be in PDP, adding that with their exit from the APC, the opposition was dead in Delta.
Those who defected include former state chairman of APC, Cyril Ogodo; state publicity secretary of the APC caretaker committee, Sylvester Imonina; and former senatorial chairman of APC, Ben Onwuka.
Others are leaders of various APC support groups including Ovie Omo-Agege Solidarity Movement, G30 APC group led by Sylvester Ogbokuni; Leaders and Elders Council of APC Delta Central led by Sylvester Kohwo; among others.
ALSO READ: Thousands Storm Delta State PDP Mega Rally in Asaba
A founding leader of the APC in the state and 2015 governorship candidate of the party, O’tega Emerhor, had earlier described those of them defecting as stomach politicians who had been financially induced to declare for the PDP, noting that the APC would not miss them.
The former state APC publicity secretary Mr Ogodo, said “we have come here to collapse APC in Delta. The hand we used in building APC is the same hand we now use to scatter it today.”
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who assured that the decampees would be given equal treatment with old members of the PDP cautioned aspirants for the 2023 general election and their followers to avoid unnecessary bickering.
He also assured that the primaries would be free and fair.
Okowa said with the rally, the PDP has made another loud statement across Nigeria that it is prepared to take over power at the centre in 2023.
Also speaking, the chairman of the party in the state, Kingsley Esiso, noted that with the defection of key leaders of the APC, PDP has reduced the APC by 90 percent, boasting that the remaining 10 percent would be harvested in another rally in six months time.
Support Quality Journalism in the Niger Delta Region
Join us in our mission to bring development journalism, cultural preservation, and environmental awareness to the forefront. Your contribution makes a difference in the lives of the people of the Niger Delta. Donate today and be a part of the change!
