By CHARLES IWUOHA

Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), House of Representatives member in Ebonyi State, Chief Anayo Edwin Nwonu and a serving member in the state House of Assembly, Hon.Chikodiri Nomeh have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

This came barely one month, Chief Lazarus Ogbee, Peter Edeh and Livinus Makwe who were also federal lawmakers had joined the party with their loyalists.

Nwonu represented Ezza North and Ishielu federal constituency of the state while Nomeh currently representing Ezza North West constituency in the state House of Assembly.

They defected to the APC on Thursday with thousands of their supporters in an event organized for them in Ebiaji, Ezza North local government headquarters by the state Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Engr. Jude Okpor.

Nwonu was in the federal House between 2015-2023 and contested for last governorship primary on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but lost out.

After losing, he cross carpeted to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to return to the National Assembly for the 3^rd time but lost the party’s ticket to the current member, Hon. Joseph Nwobashi.

The opposition bigwigs were received into the APC by the state Chairman of the party, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha and other stakeholders of Ezza North local government and Ebonyi Central zone.

One of stakeholders of the zone, Chief Lazarus Ogbee who represented Ezza South/Ikwo federal constituency,, described Nwonu as one of the generals of the politics of the zone.

He stated that the new entrants in the APC will continue to respect old members of the party but will not allow them to mislead them.

He noted that it was time to unite and work for the development of the state.

He called on people fanning embers of disunity in Ebonyi Central zone to stop and toe the path of peace for the progress of the zone and the state at large.

“It’s time to unite and support Governor Francis Nwifuru. If he succeed, we have succeeded. We should stop in-fighting and blocking people from joining APC”, he stated.

In their separate speeches, Nwonu and Nomeh said they decided to join APC because of the policies and programs of Governor Francis Nwifuru which they said have impacted on the people.

They noted that they were entering the party with bigwigs of opposition parties in the local government and assured that APC will win the local government in 2027.

Receiving the defectors, the state Chairman of the party, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha enjoined stakeholders of the party to be in peace and unity and shun in-fighting.

“I was told to go for membership drive and I am doing it in collaboration with all the stakeholders.

“If there is crisis, the governor will not do well. If we are in peace, there won’t be crisis. It is better we live in peace and it costs nothing to be in peace.

“I am conveying a meeting of Ezza nation. I am begging all of you to please forgive whatever wrong that was done to you. We have to be in peace, nobody owns this state more than the other. We are all equal in this state and everyone is indispensable.

“We cannot achieve anything through crisis. Nobody is joining the party to come and chase those already in the party.

“If we see you as a stumbling block for the success of the party, we will suspend you. You may be thinking that 2027 is still far, it is very close. If you are making enemies, remember to reserve energy for peace and reconcile because it will definitely come”, he stated.

Update news