AHEAD of the 2019 general elections, no fewer than 5,000 Politicians on Tuesday defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta Central of Delta State.
The state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and the Chairman of PDP, Chief Kingsley Esiso received the defectors at a mega rally held at the Ughelli Township Stadium, Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state.
Ughelli axis is the stronghold of APC chieftains, such as Chief O’tega Emerhor, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege among others.
Okowa and Esiso at the rally opined that PDP will have a smooth sail to victory come 2019 general elections.
The defectors were from different local government areas that made up Delta Central Senatorial District peopled largely by the Urhobos.
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They were led by APC leaders including Col. Morrison Ideh, Chief Edward Ofomona, Chief Ochuko Johnson, Chief Reuben Oteri and Chief Samuel Umunedi, among others, to the PDP.
According to Governor Okowa, “it is a thing of joy that those who we described as big fish in the opposition have come to join us in the PDP.
“With these persons that have joined us today, it is a smooth victory for PDP in 2019,” the governor said, adding, “we are with God, we are with the people, we are not deceiving people, we tell our people the truth, we are working with our people.”
He asserted that “for the 2019 elections, we will hold on to our units and wards, we will not allow anybody to intimidate us, we will win the next election clearly with the massive support we have.”
Governor Okowa commended the defectors, disclosing that with the work his administration is doing in the state, the few persons remaining in the opposition political parties will join the PDP before the 2019 general elections.
On his part, Chairman of PDP, Chief Esiso, affirmed that “Governor Okowa is working; we believe in the principle of rotation of the governorship seat, Governor Okowa will complete his eight years; we cannot be intimidated.”
“Nigerians are tired of APC government, they are tired of hunger, we must have a President of PDP extraction in Aso Rock in 2019, today is to tell the world that the people of Delta Central are fully in support of Governor Okowa in 2019,” he said.
The PDP chairman further emphasis Ed that, “we cannot follow a political rascal that will come to us every four years to deceive us; we will never accept those who will go to Abuja to disgrace us.”
The lead defectors, Col. Morrison Ideh, Chief Edward Ofomona, Chief Ochuko Johnson, Chief Reuben Oteri, Chief Samuel Umunedi, in their separate speeches, disclosed that they were attracted to the PDP by the leadership style of Governor Okowa’s administration, especially in the delivery of democratic dividends across the state.
They stated that their movement to the PDP signaled the death of opposition political parties in the state, noting that ahead of 2019 general elections, Deltans should rally round the governor to give him a 100 per cent votes in appreciation of good leadership.
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