Some members and supporters of the ruling All Progressives
Congress (APC) have decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue
State.
The members who celebrated their
defections on Saturday in Otukpa, headquarters of Ogbadibo Local Government
Area of the state, said they were exiting the APC because of the “federal
government’s poor handling of the incessant attacks and killings of the people
by Fulani herdsmen”.
Earlier, governors Ayodele Fayose
of Ekiti State and Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, both members of the PDP,
visited the governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, to commiserate with him and
the people of Benue State.
The governors also made monetary
donations to the state government for relief materials; a move which was seen
by many as calculated attempt to lure the governor into PDP.
A PDP senator, Ben Murray-Bruce,
had also stated openly that Mr. Ortom does not belong to the APC and urged him
to join the PDP.
Also last week, Mr. Ortom and his
predecessor and political rival, Gabriel Suswam, reconciled after three years
of confrontation, at the palace of the paramount ruler of the Tiv People,
theTor Tiv, James Ayatse.
Speaking on behalf of the
defectors in Otukpa at the weekend, former House of Assembly aspirant under the
APC, Ben Ebije, 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.
Mr. Ebije also accused the APC of
“jettisoning internal democracy with reckless impunity”, adding that no
serious-minded person in Benue would drop a ballot for the APC come 2019. He
urged others “who haven’t seen the light to quickly queue behind the PDP as better
alternative.”
The PDP Chairman of Ogbadibo
chapter, Vincent Amuche, who received the decampees on behalf of the state
chairman, John Ngbede, said more people were already consulting to dump the APC
in Benue.
He added that a great tsunami
would hit the APC in the coming days as the pillar of the party at the state
level was set to lead his flock into the PDP.
The PDP state chairman, who confirmed the defection to PREMIUM
TIMES via phone call, said “they (PDP) are even expecting more decampees”.
“It happened in Ogbadibo local
government area. I was not there myself but I asked my party chairman to
receive them.
“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.”
Source:PREMIUM TIMES
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