- Benue state PDP chairman John Negede confirmed the receipt of about 3,000 former APC members in Otukpa on Saturday
- In Ebonyi, former Ohaukwu local government area chairman Chinyere Elom defected to PDP with a reported crowd of 6,000 supporters
- Elom said Governor Umahi's achievements drew her and her supporters to the PDP in Ebonyi
- Defecting former legislative aspirant Ebije said it was poor handling of Benue killings by APC-led federal government that caused the defection in Otukpa
Reports in Benue state say that some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have decamped to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Premium Times reports that the defectors celebrated their decamping on Saturday, February 24 in Otukpa town and said their exit was because of the “federal government’s poor handling of the incessant attacks and killings of the people by Fulani herdsmen”.
Former House of Assembly aspirant under the APC Ben Ebije, who spoke for the defectors in Otukpa, said the people decided to support the PDP in the coming general elections, so as to save lives of innocent farmers, market women and children.
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Ebije also accused the APC of “jettisoning internal democracy with reckless impunity”.
He claimed that no serious-minded person in Benue would drop a ballot for the APC come 2019 and called for more people to defect to the opposition.
PDP state chairman John Ngbede confirmed to Premium Times that about 3,000 defectors joined the party from APC on Saturday and the opposition is expecting more in days ahead.
“Their reason was that this APC government has failed them. Some if them said that they can hardly fend for themselves. They can hardly pay the school fees if their children. They can hardly feed their families at home, so they better join a party that will bring hope for them.
“They’re about 2,500 or 3,000 of them that came out and we are expecting more. I think by the end of this month, we are still going to receive more decampees.”
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Meanwhile, Daily Independent reports that there is current state of shock in Ebonyi state chapter of the APC immediate past chairman of Ohaukwu local government area, Chinyere Elom defected to the PDP.
Elom was said to have decamped with her over 6000 supporters at Nshingbo ward 1.
She said she did not jump ship to PDP because of any political position but because her people have benefited immensely from Governor David Umahi’s leadership in terms of physical infrastructure, human empowerment and political appointments.
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Source: Naija.ng