A devastating wind of change blew yesterday to cause a depletion in the numerical strength of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as some big wigs dumped the party to join the governing All Progressive Congress (APC) in Edo State.
Notable among decampees are the former Deputy Governor of Edo State, and Chairman of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign in Edo South, Chief Lucky Imasuen, the former Deputy Chairman of PDP in Edo State, Hon. Christopher Adesotu, former Organising Secretary of PDP in the state, Richard Ehimigbai, the state Vice Chairman, and former House of Representatives member, Hon. Johnson Abolagba, Otunba Frank Omo Amadasun, Roland Ekunwe, Ralph Usiomon, Barr. O.G. Iziengbuwa, Alex Ekuase, Osazee Ero, Agbonzee Julius, Dickson Ahonsi, local government and ward executives and leaders of the PDP.
The former PDP Leaders and their followers publicly displayed their party registration cards and tore them to pieces at the ceremony.
Receiving the mammoth defectors, Edo State Governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said “Today the only political elephant that is left in the PDP Savannah forest has decided along with his brothers and sisters across Edo South, Edo North to formally renounce their membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) so that they can re-align with the progressive forces under the APC platform.”
“I have had informal conversation with Lucky Imasuen along with all the other leaders and they are many who, if I start, I won’t be able to call all of them to re-assure them that I am very very excited at the opportunity of working hand-in-hand with our brothers and sisters who we know in their hearts and some by the actions they’ve taken in the past, they rightly belong to the same family of the progressives. You know there are people who decamp, they barely much disturb anybody but the moving of the very stalwart we call the timber and calibre from PDP to APC meant that effectively PDP is down and finished. I want to assure all of you we re-integrate you. In the APC, we do not discriminate. We will do everything we can to re-integrating you into our control structures and be sure, like other members of APC, you get what is due to you,” he said.
He recalled that Lucky Imasuen, Hon. Abolagba and others that had decamped had political engagements with them in APC strictly on constructive basis without any personal effect or abuses adding, “Therefore, they had no problem whatsoever in re-uniting for the good of our state and of our party. Welcome on board! Welcome on Board! Welcome on board! On behalf of our party, I present you this instrument of our unity, of our common goal and of our shared commitment to deliver possible change to the people of Nigeria. Welcome.”
In his remarks, in which he enumerated the numerous infrastructure that the administration of Governor Oshiomhole had executed in his local government area, Egor and other parts of Edo State, the former PDP leader, Lucky Imasuen who sang songs to indicate his excitement explained that they had come with numerous leaders and supporters and that “on the other side (PDP) things are falling apart”.
Welcoming members, the Chairman of APC in Edo State, Hon. Barr. Anselm Ojezua who also represented the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Oyegun whose greetings he extended to the party faithful, affirmed that what happened yesterday was the beginning of greater things to come.
Highpoint of the ceremony was the presentation of APC brooms to the decampees by Governor Oshiomhole.
