The governorship candidate of Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA) in the 2017 governorship election in Anambra State, Mr. Godwin Ezeemo, has dumped the party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) saying that Nigerians are yet to accept political parties with good ideologies than name.

He said that, though, he has given his consent to join the party, it is a conditional clause until he is convinced his followers would be well taken care of.

Ezeemo who made the statement during a courtesy call on him at his Umuchu office by PDP state leadership led by the chairman, Chief Ndubisi Nwobu, maintained that his political interest is poised towards ensuring that the basics of civilsation which include, good schools, good roads, good health care system, constant power, water are provided to the people.

He said: “I made the defection, Ezeemo because over the years I have seen that the Nigerian electorate are still moved by big names instead of political ideology of parties.

“Here, we are only interested in big names and not in the material that is vying for any post. I have tried for a long time to convince them that coming from a smaller party would even give me better opportunity to work but they seem not to understand. I had to oblige them.”

On the issue of party primaries being the measure for selection of gubernatorial candidate for election, Ezeemo who was the former leader of PPA said that he believes in party primaries and is not afraid of going through it.

According to him, party primary elections must take place in any party for internal party democratic process to take its course.

He enjoined the PDP to understand and think along his line of thought that the black man needs to change his mindset and start thinking for the benefit of everyone.

Earlier in his speech, the PDP state chairman, Mr. Nwobu recounted what he called the outstanding qualities of Ezeemo which made PDP persistent in wooing him over the years.

He said that PDP stands as a better platform for Ezeemo in his genuine effort to improve his society through politics.

Nwobu assured that PDP will love the new entrant and also give him his pride of place regardless of how long he has spent with the party.

His words: “In PDP, it is not how long you have spent with us but the capacity you wield as a party man or woman that counts and Ezeemo is a man of gargantuan capacity.”

On his part, the state publicity secretary of the party, Chief Tony Offiah, expressed joy for the new entrant to PDP adding that he had been one of those wooing Ezeemo over the years to join PDP.

He promised that all PPA faithful who defected with Ezeemo will be taken good care of.

Offiah explained that the internal crisis in the party has been resolved even as he noted that PDP was ready to take back the reins of power across the country.

“This is why we are reaching out to all people of timber and calibre across the state and beyond to join us in building the new and more formidable PDP. Ezeemo is indeed a big catch,” he said.

Regretting Ezeemo’s departure from PPA, the state chairman of the party, Chief Dan Igbokwubili, said a great iroko has left the party say that if PDP will make Ezeemo’s interest to govern Anambra State a reality, then, he will be open to endorsing his defection.

Igbokwubili said that he joined PPA because he believed in Ezeemo and wanted to support his gubernatorial agenda.

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