It has become a reception of mass defectors from the opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC since the APC carried its Senatorial bye-election campaign trains to the hinterlands of the Ebony South District.
The majority of the decampees to the APC were members of the Labour Party (LP), People's Democratic Party (PDP), and Action Alliance (AA), among other opposition parties.
The Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Princess Patricia Obila who confirmed this yesterday during the official flag off of the Ebonyi South Senatorial Campaign Rally at Afikpo Council mini-stadium, said over three million members of the opposition parties have defected to the APC since the campaign trains began.
She noted that the campaign manifesto of the State Governor, Francis Nwifuru anchored on the People Charter of Needs has begun to yield a positive effect in Afikpo.
According to her, the commitment of Governor Nwifuru's administration to addressing the plights of the Ebonyi people led to the defection of over 3 million members of the opposition parties to the APC during the ward campaign trains in the southern part of the state.
Also, the defectors including former chairman of Afikpo local government and 2023 LP candidate for Afikpo/Edda Federal Constituency, Tony Ekoh, the party’s candidate for Afikpo North West State Constituency, that of Action Alliance for Afikpo North East State Constituency, Ogbonnia Inya and Hilary Egwu, a former council chairman confirmed their members and supporters' decision to join the ruling APC in the state.
They officially defected during the APC’s rally in the Afikpo council area for the zone’s bye-election to elect Senator David Umahi’s successor, following his resignation after being appointed as Works Minister by President Bola Tinubu.
The opposition party members were led into the APC by Tony Ekoh.
Speaking on their behalf, Ekoh said the decampees went on leave but have decided to return to the APC to join hands with Governor Francis Nwifuru to develop the state.
He bragged that APC would win the bye-election in the local government convincingly not minding the APGA candidate for the election, Chief Ifeanyi Eleje hails from the area.
While receiving the defectors, the State APC Chairman, Stanley Okoro-Emegha, assured them of total accommodation in the party.
Emegha urged them to work for the victory of the APC in the Senatorial bye-election.
Governor Francis Nwifuru while addressing the defectors, expressed joy at their decision to join the APC which he described as a moving train.
The governor said he was not perturbed about the election because he knew that the senatorial candidate of the party, Professor Anthony Ani would win a landslide.
Nwifuru warned Ani against crisis when he gets to the senate, but emulate those that have served the zone in the National Assembly, and those that are still serving by building on their legacies.
“Don’t take us for granted when you get to the senate. We wronged so many leaders by choosing you as the date of our party.
“Don’t sleep in anybody’s house, you are a senator of Ebonyi South, not anybody. Work with everyone and ensure effective representation for the zone,” he advised Ani.
Governor Nwifuru equally urged Afikpo people to come out massively and vote for the APC on Saturday, assuring them of peaceful conduct of the exercise in every nook and cranny of the state especially in Ebonyi South Senatorial District.
