All Progressives Congress (APC) Rivers State Ward 11 in Egbema, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) Chairman, Mr. Sheriff Onyenwibe, his Vice, Kingsley Obiye, and scores of other members have left the party to join the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The handover ceremony, which held at Egbema Community Primary School field, Okwuzi Saturday, August 26, 2017 was graced by chieftains of the PDP in ONELGA, including the State Chairman of the PDP, Bro. Felix Obuah who arrived the venue with his entourage. Also present were traditional rulers and opinion leaders of Egbema Community.

Speaking while presenting the decampees to the state party Chairman, Bro. Felix Obuah, leader of the defectors, and former Ward 11 Chairman of APC, Sheriff Onyenwibe thanked the leadership and members of the PDP for the warm welcome accorded them.

“We were deceived into believing that APC would change our lives for the better. They fed us with tissues of lies and promised to turn Nigeria to another Dubai and Japan.

APC leaders in ONELGA operate only from Port Harcourt and never return home to know how we are faring. All we got in the end was regrets and disappointment. APC is a failed political party. We are worse off in APC than we were then in the PDP,” he lamented.

The decampees who later surrendered their brooms and the APC flag, laid the materials on the ground, threaded ‘angrily’ on them before setting them ablaze.

Obuah while receiving the decampees, assured that the party would give equal opportunity to all of those who have decided to join the PDP. He stated that the success of the PDP in the State lies in its policy of sincerity, openness and generosity, adding that prejudice does not exist in the PDP.

Obuah said the party thrives on transparency and does not treat members as old or new, stressing that the PDP umbrella was large enough to accommodate all members who pledge their loyalty to the party and state.

He congratulated the leader of the decampees, and former APC Ward 11 Chairman, Sheriff Onyenwibe, his deputy, Kingsley Obiye and their numerous supporters over what he saw as a bold and courageous decision to quit a failed political party, the APC.

Obuah enjoined them not to see themselves as decampees any longer, but to be reintegrated and join the progressive train of Governor Nyesom Wike to develop the State.

He noted that Governor Wike had stretched project execution to all nooks and crannies in the state, and had awarded the renovation of Okwuzi General Hospital.

In the words of Obuah, “I want to use this forum to officially receive you into Peoples Democratic Party. I want to assure you that the Leader of the PDP in Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, knows I’m here.

“Egbema will not be left out in the good governance of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike government. He is God-sent to Rivers people. He has awarded contract for the renovation of Okwuzi General Hospital.

“Today, you (APC decampees) will be with me. Today, we have received you and we are happy you have realised that you were deceived by the opposition party in the State”.

Obuah charged the PDP ward chairman in the area not to see them “as new members”, but demonstrate fairness to all members.

Earlier, the former APC Ward 11 chairman, Mr. Sheriff Onyenweibeya, apologized to the State PDP for working against them, saying that they were deceived.

He appealed to Obuah to re-admit them into PDP, saying that they were former members of the party before APC leaders deceived and lured them.

Onyenweibeya said: “I want to apologise on behalf of the teeming crowd of APC members in Ward 11. We were deceived to abandon our home (PDP) to join them.

“Now, we have realised that we were deceived. We are sorry, we have realised our mistake. We have realised that PDP is the party on ground in this area. We have gone back to our land, our home, PDP. We are appealing to PDP family to, please, receive us.”

Obuah announced at the event that Governor Wike had already awarded contract to dualise the Omoku – Egbema road as well as renovation of the Egbema General Hospital.

The event also featured the coronation of Eze Kingsley Ugochukwu as the Eze-Eziche II of Ohuu Village in Okwuzi Community. It attracted a horde of dignitaries with a thrilling musical performance by the famous Nwabueze and His Stars Band of Egbema.

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