The Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party said on Friday that it was unaware of the alleged defection of Senate Minority Leader and one of its governorship aspirants, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.
The State Deputy Chairman and acting Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Abraham Amah, stated this in an interview with Saturday PUNCH in reaction to Abaribe’s defection from the party.
Abaribe, who was one of the top contenders for the party’s governorship ticket in Abia State, pulled out of the primary barely 78 hours earlier.
Abaribe confirmed his exit from the PDP and as Senate Minority Leader in separate letters to the PDP ward chairman in the Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State and the President of the Senate.
He cited illegality, impunity and hesitation in decision making for his decision to dump the PDP.
He said his next move would be communicated at the appropriate time.
In a letter titled, “Notification of Resignation from the Membership of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Senate,” Abaribe said, “This is to notify you and my dear colleagues in the Senate that I have formally resigned my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party through my ward. This also means my resignation as Minority Leader of the Senate.”
Reacting to Abaribe’s defection, the Abia PDP acting spokesman said, “If he has done that, we, as a party, are not aware. No such information is available to us as of now if he has done that.
“We cannot speak on assumption. Again, nature abhors a vacuum. If he leaves the party today, another person will take his position. It is only God who cannot be replaced. Great men have left the world and were replaced with others greater than them.”
