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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State, has asserted that it truly appreciated the defection of a few of its members to the All Progressive Congress (APC) on Monday, April 1, 2024.
The Party welcomed the departure of the members and acknowledged that they were no longer useful to the party in any way.
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, who, 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.
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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 will 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 Tuesday, March 2, 2024, 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 .
“That is exactly what has happened and the Abia PDP truly appreciates their exit after they recognised that they were no longer useful to the party in whatsoever form.
“While we wish them well in their future endeavours, we also tell our members, numerous sympathisers and well wishers that the Abia PDP has been receiving many applications from highly placed and well meaning Abians, who are desirous of joining the party.
What should be a source of concern to Abians is why these people are leaving the PDP and rather than join the ruling party in Abia, which is the Labour Party (LP). They are joining the APC, the ruling party at the centre . That alone speaks about the character of the people who defected ” the PDP noted.
