Natasha Akpoti, a senatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2019 election, has joined the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2023 general election.
The National Chairman of PDP, Iyorchia Ayu has described the defector as a big fish and an amazon whose entry into the party has signified the death of APC in Kogi State, adding that Natasha Akpoti has transmuted her Social Democratic Party SDP structure to the PDP.
Represented by the National Secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu, the party chairman pointed out that by pulling this big fish into PDP marks a new beginning for the party that has rekindled its winning streak in the state.
Ayu commended the people of the state for their resilience in standing against the misfortune of the ruling APC, saying with the calibre of defectors, the people have resolved to reclaim the state.
Following the development, it is said that palpable fear has engulfed senatorial aspirants on the platform of All Progressives Congress in Kogi Central.
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Ayu also noted with disgust, the misery that the people have been subjected to in the last six years of APC administration, and advised for collective determination to use the ballot to restore their dignity, adding that although Natasha had defected three months ago, the ceremony was a formal declaration to join the party in order to contribute her quota to the development and growth of PDP and the state.
He called on the electorate, especially those from the Kogi central to team up with her to rescue the state from the jaws of maladministration and assured of PDP’s readiness to win all segments of the forthcoming general election.
Speaking, Natasha Akpoti explained that her joining the PDP is to seek a more formidable platform to wrest power from the APC, adding that moving her structure to PDP was not borne out of misgivings with her erstwhile party, but to align forces with PDP that has wider reach in order to send APC out of power before it wreaks more havoc on the state.
Akpoti lamented that the state with its abundant human and economic resources ought to be a giant in the comity of states, but became a laughing stock due to bad governance by the ruling APC, which has foisted hunger, depravity, depression, infrastructural decay and percentage salary payments on the people.
Allaying the fears of crisis in her former party, she disclosed that she moved with the state chairman Mouktar Atima and the secretary and others in order to fortify the PDP to ensure her winning the forthcoming senatorial election.
She solicited the support of all well meaning party members to see the defection as a service to the people of the senatorial district and the entire state.
In their separate speeches, the state chairman of the party, am Ohuotu; former governors, Ibrahim Idris and Idris Wada; a member of the House of Representatives, T.J. Yusuf and Zonal chairman of PDP commended her courage and doggedness to restore dignity of her people to use PDP platform to move the state forward, as they urged the people to close political ranks for the task of winning all the segments of the election, reminding them, that Okehi LGA has remained with the party since 1999.
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