APC wants PDP chieftains to remain in party

No plans to move en masse, says Enugu chairman

Southeast leadership caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has enjoined chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), making frantic efforts to join APC to reconsider their steps in the interest of multi-party democracy.

Spokesperson of the caucus, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, who made the call while reacting to the recent resignation by former president of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani, from PDP, said it would be in the interest of Nigeria’s democracy for those who had their days in PDP to stay back and salvage it. Nnamani had on Saturday announced his
resignation from the PDP. Although he failed to announce whether he
was joining the APC, he said he would continue to support
government in the desire to serve the country. One of notable
politicians in the state, Chief Gbazuagu Nweke also joined the APC the same day.

Last month, former governor of the old Anambra State, Chief Jim
Nwobodo, led some members of the PDP to join the APC in what many
have described as mass exodus in the Enugu PDP.

Okechukwu explained that although, as a political party, APC would not reject prospective members, it would be better “if those who used PDP to loot Nigeria, should remain in PDP”, adding that the frenzy of unbridled defections could plunge Nigeria into a one-party state.

Speaking on the entry of Gbazuagu into APC, Okechukwu stated that Gbazuagu was a foundation member of the party, stressing that as a governorship candidate of All Peoples Party (APP), in 1999 before proceeding on political sabbatical, he cannot be called a defector.

Explaining why he was among those that opposed the entry of Senator Jim Nwobodo into APC, Okechukwu added: “Let me state categorically that am not opposed to anyone joining our great party, APC. Never; though am opposed to one party state, what I said and still maintain, is that those who used PDP as a platform to loot Nigeria should remain in PDP and salvage it.

“The danger is that they may as well wreak APC. Is it not their looting of our commonwealth, which wreaked the PDP? It’s common knowledge that Nigerian voters voted against PDP because of their looting.”

On whether Gbazuagu would be accorded all rights like the foundation members of APC, the spokesman remarked that there is need for collective support from Southeasterners for President Muhammadu Buhari in his eight years, so that “Ndigbo would harvest the zoning convention, more so when the president is about flagging-off the revamping of Enugu Coal, fixing of federal roads in the South East and the second Niger Bridge.”

Meanwhile, the Enugu State Chapter of the PDP said it was not perturbed by the decampment of its leaders to other parties, insisting that it had no plans to move the party into the APC.
Also, a group, the Umbrella Movement in the state has urged calm,
stressing that the development was part of the ongoing process of “deworming the PDP of leaders without electoral impact.”

State Chairman of the party, Chief Ikeje Asogwa told The Guardian
yesterday that the PDP would remain committed to developing the state,
stressing that the impact of the party had been felt in the last
16 years.

explained that as much as the party appreciates the contributions
of her members, it would not stop anybody from moving into any party
of choice for the realization of his political ambition.