Pdp’s Uche Ekwunife, Jim Nwobodo Defect To Apc
SAN FRANCISCO, January 08, (THEWILL) – Erstwhile senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Senator Uche Ekwunife and A former minister of information, and governor of the old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo, on Friday separately announced their defection to the All Progressive Congress.
Ekwunife was a former member of the House of Representatives who later represented Anambra Central at the Senate, before her election was annulled by the Appeal Court in Enugu, on December 6 with an order for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election in the zone within 90 days.
Ekwunife, who has begun preparation for the repeat poll confirmed her defection in a statement.
”Today, I officially joined the All Progressives Congress (APC),” she said.
”My good people of Anambra Central, the outcome of what we witnessed was a conspiracy between some elements in PDP and the State Government who were panicking over what they referred to as my rising profile.
”Even after these minor setbacks, I advised PDP to conduct primaries in other to produce a candidate who will fly the party's flag in the oncoming repeat election, but since then, nothing meaningful has been done as they are busy creating more confusion in the party. A confusion which will lead the party nowhere.
”My good people of Anambra Central Senatorial District; taking cognizance of these developments, I took time to make wide consultations and have decided to join the All Progressive Congress (APC).
”It is true some of us did not give our support to APC in the previous election, it is true you voted for me massively in PDP, but then my brothers and sisters, that seed of confusion that militated against PDP in the previous election is still inherent and may not be of any good to any people.
”We Ndigbo cannot continue to be relegated from the national bargain which we are co-owners. This is the time to join forces with the Federal Government to move our country forward.”
“It's better now for me to join the APC.
“Let the heat be there; I am already on campaigns for my return to the senate, to complete my contract with the people of Anambra Central District,” she said.
Ms. Ekwunife said her plans for her constituents under the APC would soon be made public.
In a related development, Nwobodo, a former Senator and presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, attended an APC meeting, convened by Foreign Affairs minister, Dr. Jeffrey Onyeama, in Enugu, where He declared his membership of the party to the surprise of most of the APC members present at the event.
A former PDP senator from Enugu State, Chief Fidelis Okoro, also defected to the APC at the meeting. Okoro was in the Senate between 1999 and 2007.
In his declaration speech, Nwobodo condemned the PDP, and blamed the party's leadership for allowing five governors to leave for the APC in the build up to the 2015 general elections.
According to him, he is joining the APC to move the people of Enugu State into the mainstream at the federal level because from his experience as a governor, it was not good being in the opposition.
“I must condemn our former party, PDP; I know we had problems,” he said.
“I told our former chairman, how come did we allow five governors to leave the party? I am not looking for a job, I am talking because I want peace. I want our people to be part of the Federal Government at the centre.
“I had a problem being an opposition governor. I am not coming into APC because I want anything. I want our people to be reintegrated and have our own share of the Federal Government resources,” Nwobodo said.
Nwobodo recalled that while he was in PDP, his wife had always been an active member of the APC.
Oputah David