The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State has warned the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to desist from its alleged culture of electoral fraud and political violence or face the consequence.

The party said no amount of political thuggery, harassment, attack, and intimidation would make its members run away from the political environment in the state, as “Enugu State belongs to all of us, and we are all equal stakeholders.

The State Chairman of APC, Dr. Ben Nwoye, who spoke at Agbani in Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state, during the formal defection of some chieftains of the PDP and their supporters to the APC, insisted that the state PDP-led government has failed the people in all ramifications.

According to him, the failure was glaring at the state Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC), “which connived with PDP to steal APC electoral mandate during the November 4 local government election in the state.”

Among the PDP defectors were a former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Barrister Ifeanyi Nwoga; a one-time youth leader, Tony Nwachukwu and Uche Udoko, among others,

Nwoye, who stated that his party had put in place the needed structure to send the PDP-led administration in the state packing in 2019, noted that the alleged political atrocities committed by the Chief Mike Ajogwu-led ENSIEC during the November council polls, which led to the abduction and brutalisation of his party’s 2015 governorship candidate, Chief Okey Ezea, would continue to hurt the commission's boss, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Welcoming the new defectors into APC, its National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, who was represented by the National Vice Chairman for South-East zone, Chief Emma Enukwu applauded the courage of the former PDP stalwarts, saying their decision was a wise one.

Odigie-Oyegun hailed Nwoye; former Secretary to State Government, Chief Onyemuche Nnamani; Nkanu West Chairman of APC, Sunday Eze; as well as other leaders of the APC in the locality for winning souls for the party, urging them to keep the flag flying as APC remained the easiest route to Igbo presidency after President Buhari’s second term in office.

In his brief remarks shortly after receiving the APC Constitution and its broom symbol, Nwoga said that he decided to join the party because it is a political platform for the progressives.

He said: “I joined APC because it is a party for the progressives," urging members to imbibe the spirit of sacrifice for the party at all times.

While promising to assist in building the party in his local government area, Nkanu West, the former Justice Commissioner pledged to rent an office space for members in the locality by next January.

Other APC stalwarts at the ceremony included former National Secretary of the PDP, Chief Rex Onyeabor; the South East Publicity Secretary of APC, Chief Hyacinth Ngwu; former Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Nnamani; and former state Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Joe Mmamel. who stood in for immediate past Governor of the state, Barrister Sullivan Chime, among others.

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