The leadership of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has reportedly received about 3,500 members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State.

Recall that Obignwa local government area where the incumbent Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu comes from is noted for their voting strength and in the 2015 election was said to have produced over 82, 000 votes that gave Ikpeazu victory in 2015 including Osisioma LGA.

The ceremony to receive the defectors to the APGA fold could have held last week at the National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN), Umuokahia, Obingwa council area, but was disrupted by thugs allegedly hired by PDP which prompted the state chairman of APGA to issue a statement condemning the action.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Hon. Maduka Akpulonu said they decided to dump their former party for APGA because according to him, PDP as a party has failed to provide purposeful governance to the people of the state in the past 20 years.

Akpulonu accused the chieftains of his former party of making efforts to stop them from defecting to APGA, stressing that nothing will make them return to PDP.

“We decided to dump our former party for APGA because PDP as a party has failed to provide purposeful governance to the people of the state. Some chieftains of our former party made efforts to stop us from defecting to APGA, but we resisted that and nothing will make us return to PDP”.

While welcoming the governorship aspirant of the party, Dr. Alex Otti and other leaders of the party to the area, he urged him to extend his campaign tour to all the 11 wards of the council, Akpulonu apologized for the botched rally last week.

“We apologize for the botched rally last week. Our defection has shaken PDP to its foundation in Obingwa. They frustrated our efforts to dump PDP. The party (PDP) won’t do anything for the people and won’t allow them to leave to a better party”

He boasted that APGA will win majority wards in Obingwa in 2019, adding that there was no going back as they were poised to take the message of APGA and Dr. Otti to every part of Obingwa.

Receiving the former PDP members, APGA State chairman, Rev. Augustine Ehiemere, stated that the people of Obingwa council area have nothing to show for producing the governor, Dr. Ikpeazu, adding that the council has the worst network of roads.

He commended the former PDP members for their courage to dump the party and assured of a level playing field for all members and expressed optimism that their defection marks APGA’s victory in the 2019 general election.

The governorship aspirant of the party, Dr. Otti said APGA was set for a total transformation of the state from bad governance by the PDP.

He vowed that Abia will be rescued from those he described as ‘bloodsucking godfathers and council of elders in 2019 and urged the people to support APGA in this direction.

•Sourced from The Nation report

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