Prominent members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State have officially defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The defection, which took place at the Abakaliki Local Government Area Headquarters in Nkaliki on Saturday, saw the joining of notable figures including a former member representing Abakaliki/Izzi Federal Constituency and former governorship aspirant in the 2023 general elections, Hon. Sylvester Ogbaga, and former Senator Sylvanus Nguji Ngele, who was also an ex-member of the National Working Committee of the PDP, alongside other executive members of the party.
Explaining their decision to defect, Hon. Ogbaga and Senator Ngele highlighted the failure of the PDP to produce a governor from the Izzi clan, a feat which the APC achieved, in line with the existing charter of equity in Ebonyi State. They praised the present administration led by Rt. Hon. Francis Nwifuru, citing its commitment to the people’s charter of needs as the primary reason for joining forces with the ruling party to bring more dividends of democracy to the people of Ebonyi State.
During the ceremony, the defectors were received by critical stakeholders and members of the progressives family, including the APC National Treasurer, Chief Matthew Uguru; the APC State Chairman, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha; the Executive Chairman of Abakaliki L.G.A, Hon. Stephen Nwogba; the APC Local Government Chairman, Hon. Paulinus Atam; the former Chairman of Abakaliki L.G.A, Hon. Emmanuel Nwangele; and the Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Hon. Matthew Nwobashi, among others. They commended the defectors for their bold steps and encouraged them to obtain their membership cards from their respective wards.
Notably, during the visit of the governor’s wife, Mrs. Mary-Maudlin Nwifuru, highly placed members of the PDP in Abakaliki LGA, including the member representing the people of Abakaliki North in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Victor Nwoke, also joined the APC family last Monday.
