Mass defection hits Delta PDP after Uduaghan’s exit

About 7, 000 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta state, including two aides of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, have dumped the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

The defecting members, mainly from Oleh community and its environs in Isoko South Local Government Area of the state, defected alongside Mr. Lucky Arumare, special assistant to the governor on youths and community development, Mrs. Uyoyou Edhekpo, special assistant to the governor on women mobilization.

They said that their decision to dump the PDP was based on alleged high handedness, and continued imposition of candidates by the leadership of the party in the state, declaring that “the PDP as a party portends evil with fake ideologies”.

Speaking at the Oleh Primary School ground where the defectors formally announced their exit from the PDP on Thursday evening, they vowed to mobilize against the PDP in the state and the local government area, adding that their defection from the PDP was an indication of victory for the APC.

Receiving the defectors, the state Chairman of the APC, Prophet Jones Erue boasted that Governor Okowa will be shown the way out during the 2019 general elections, alleging that there has been decay in infrastructure, and under development in the state in the past three years.

“Governor Okowa is a serious apology to Delta state. He will be shown the way out from Government House by Delta people through their votes.

The people have concluded to enthrone an APC government come 2019 in Delta state. PDP has nothing to offer to the people of Delta state,” the APC chairman stated.

Arumare, the former aide to Governor Okowa, who spoke to journalists on behalf of the other defectors, alleged that the PDP operates as a “cult group”, adding that members who are not part of the cult group were not recognized in the scheme of things.

He said that “we have dumped the PDP. We will not go back to the party that operates like a cult group. We were tired and moved into light where we can pursue our political careers. We will shock the party come 2019 with our votes. APC has transparent ideologies that we will operate with”.