Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, member representing Ideato North/South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, has formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Action People’s Party (APP), leading 22,000 supporters in a major political realignment that has sent shockwaves across Imo State and beyond.

The defection, announced at a well-attended political gathering in Ideato, marks a decisive turning point in the lawmaker’s political trajectory and underscores growing discontent within sections of the opposition over electoral governance, internal party democracy and the rule of law.

Addressing supporters, party leaders and civil society actors, Ugochinyere declared that his decision to join the APP was driven by what he described as the party’s commitment to democratic values, institutional accountability and resistance to electoral criminality.

“This movement is not about party labels; it is about rescuing democracy from the grip of electoral banditry, judicial manipulation, and state-sponsored repression,” he said.

The outspoken legislator used the occasion to renew calls for international intervention in what he termed “systematic electoral, political, and judicial impunity” in Imo State. He announced plans to submit detailed petitions and documentary evidence to international bodies, including authorities in the United States, seeking sanctions, investigations and accountability for alleged abuses.

Ugochinyere disclosed that he has received an invitation to present evidence before a United States Congress subcommittee examining threats to democracy in Africa. According to him, the evidence will cover alleged electoral fraud, political violence, intimidation of judges and broader human rights violations.

“Those who believe they can destroy democracy and still enjoy the privileges of the international system are mistaken. A day will come when some will travel out and never return,” he warned.

The federal lawmaker further called for the arrest and prosecution of individuals he described as financiers and executors of electoral violence in Imo State. He specifically demanded renewed investigations into the attempted assassination against him and the killing of his uncle and other victims of political violence.

According to Ugochinyere, failure to address these cases has emboldened perpetrators and weakened public confidence in the justice system.

“Impunity thrives where crimes are rewarded with silence. Justice delayed has become justice denied, and we will no longer accept that,” he stated.

In a strongly worded segment of his address, Ugochinyere expressed support for decisive international actions against authoritarian leaders accused of undermining democratic processes, citing the recent global attention on Venezuela as an example.

He argued that similar resolve must be applied in parts of Nigeria where, according to him, elections have become “ceremonies of fraud rather than expressions of the people’s will”.

“What the world is doing to protect democracy elsewhere must be done here. Those who behave like Maduro in Imo, Rivers, or Kogi must be confronted decisively if democracy is to survive,” he said.

Leaders of the Action People’s Party welcomed Ugochinyere and his supporters, describing the defection as a significant boost to the party’s national profile and reform agenda. They noted that his legislative experience, national visibility and advocacy on governance issues would strengthen the APP’s role in the evolving opposition landscape.

Political observers view the move as part of a broader realignment ahead of future electoral contests, particularly in states where disputes over election credibility and judicial outcomes have remained contentious.

As Hon Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere settles into his new political platform, he has made it clear that his next phase will be defined not merely by party politics, but by an aggressive campaign, locally and internationally, against what he describes as the erosion of democracy in Nigeria.

(The Sun)

• Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere