The All Progressives Congress, APC, chairman in Kwande Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state, Mr. Iorfa Dzoho, some of his committee members, as well as executives of the party from five council wards have resigned from the party in the gale of defections that recently hit the party in the state.
They all pledged to join Chief Mimi Adzape-Orubibi in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, next Saturday at her public declaration in Adikpo, Kwande LGA Headquarters.
They made the pledge on Wednesday at the Kumakwagh Council Hall in Azaibo Adikpo where Mrs. Adzape-Orubibi tendered her letter of resignation from the party to the ward chairman, Mr. Terwase Aheeve.
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The Kwande APC chairman, Mr. Dzoho stated that he and some of his colleagues decided to team up with Mrs. Adzape-Orubibi because the APC had resorted to running a closed shop by excluding majority of its members from the recent ward congress.
He said the PDP leader in the state, Governor Samuel Ortom gave him assurances that he would accommodate their interest if they joined him and that he believed the Governor because he keeps his promises.
Mrs. Adzape-Orubibi who was the former APC Benue North East Senatorial Candidate in the last general election convened the meeting of stalwarts of her former party members from the five Wards in Turan community to inform them about her decision to leave the party.
She stated that part of her decision to join the ranks of the PDP was informed by her determination to contribute towards the emergence of the next Governor of the state from the party.
She explained that she had no ambition to run for election in 2023 “but rather to strengthen the PDP so that l can be reckoned with in the scheme of things.”
Mrs. Adzape-Orubibi also said she was leaving the APC because the party had failed to tackle the worsening insecurity and economic woes confronting the country as well as the unending herdsmen attacks and killings which had left over one million persons living in Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps in Benue state.
“I am leaving the APC because it no longer offers me the opportunity to continue to advance my objective for political participation and the deplorable security and economic situations across the country including the more recent developments within the party, more than eloquently attest to this fact.
“The local situation in Benue is even made worse by the continuing attacks on farming communities by herdsmen, and displacement of huge population that are now permanent residents in IDPs camps littered across the state. I fully identify with the philosophy of politics being about the local context, and will rather opt for a platform that has demonstrated commitment to the overall interest of the local context,” she said.
Those who also spoke at the occasion included Wase Orbunde, Imo Doodi, Alago Azege, Bem Asule, Agbidye Waya and Mrs. Dion Imbor all commended Mrs. Adzape-Orubibi for her decision and pledged their support.
Seunmanuel Faleye is a brand and communications strategist. He is a covert writer and an overt creative head. He publishes Apple’s Bite International Magazine.
