The Abia State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has said that it truly appreciated the defection of a few of its members to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday, adding that the defectors are no longer useful in the party, hence, they defected to another party.
The party described the development as a good riddance to bad rubbish, and acknowledged that the defectors were no longer useful to the party in whatsoever form.
BusinessDay reports that Anthony Agbazuere, chief of staff to the immediate past Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, Eze Chikamnayo, former Commissioner of Information, Uzo Azubuike, a former member of the House of Representatives, top the list of former Abia State Government top officials and PDP stalwarts were on Monday, joined APC in the State.
Nkeiruka Onyejiocha, minister of State, Labour, while receiving the PDP defectors at her Isuochi, Umunneochi, Abia State, country home, expressed happiness over their decision to join forces with the APC, and described their presence, as a welcome development.
The minister, who was also a former member of the PDP, before she joined APC, said she is of the high hope that their teaming up with APC would grow the fortune of the party in the State.
She promised them equal opportunities and treatment with old members of the party.
Onyejiocha, a former member of the House of Representatives, while recognising the political and electoral values of the former PDP members, enjoined them to assist in further entrenching the party in all parts of Abia State.
Donatus Nwankpa, the APC National Welfare Secretary and former chairman of the Party in the State, assured the defected PDP members that there is no division in the party as being claimed by some people he referred to as detractors.
He charged them to apply themselves to the great and important task of expanding the membership of the party particularly at the grassroots.
However, Abraham Amah, Abia PDP vice chairman, who also doubles as acting Publicity Secretary in a Statement issued on Tuesday, accepted the defections with an open mind in the understanding that they are entitled to their freedom of association.
“The Abia PDP truly appreciates the exit of these people, because after the 2023 general elections, the party did a post-mortem on itself and came to the inevitable conclusion that the party needs to reinvent itself for the future.
“The only way for that to happen would be for the party to shed weight not by expelling some people, but for those responsible for its brief downturn to exit by themselves .
