Rivers rerun: Overs 200 PDP members defect to APC at Khana, Eleme LGAs
As Rivers State counts down to the December 10 rerun, more than 200 members of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), on Monday defected from the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC), at Bua Zaakpon community in Khana Local Government Area and Akpajo community in Eleme Local Government as part of “Choose-Your-Senator-Campaign” in the Rivers South East Senatorial District.
The two local government councils will on December 10 choose between Senator Magnus Ngei Abe of the APC and Hon. Olaka Nwogu of the PDP among other contestants for the national and legislative seats.
Receiving the defectors at Zaakpon Community, Senator Abe commended the people of Rivers South East for resolving to resist the alleged imposition of a senator by Governor Nyesom Wike for the people of the district.
The Senator who lamented the marginalization of Ogoni people said “Rivers State will be celebrating its 50 years anniversary next year and in those 50 years, no Ogoni son has been Speaker, Deputy Governor, Governor, Chief Judge. Is that not marginalization?”
The former Secretary to Rivers State Government stated that the detractors of Ogoni people had always erroneously blamed the marginalization of the people on the assumption that the Ogoni people did not love each other.
He said that the Ogoni people had resolved to prove to their detractors that they loved each other by agreeing to vote for him as the senator of their choice.
He assured the people that they would benefit more in APC than in PDP, pointing out that their son had been appointed an Executive Director of Finance and Administration in NDDC, a position they had not got since the inception of the commission.
Senator Abe also said that the United Nations Environmental Programme, UNEP, report implementation was on course and that if voted a Senator, he would fast-track the implementation, adding that those challenging his popularity in Zaakpon community to come and see the turnout of people for the rally.
At Akpajo community, Senator Abe said he was overwhelmed by the turnout of the people, which he said had proved that the people had made up their minds to vote for a Senator of their choice who was not imposed by the Government House.
Earlier in their speeches, Chief Gani Topba of Zaakpon community and Robinson Osaroluka of Akpajo community assured Senator Abe that the people had keyed into “Choose-Your-Senator- Campaign” adding that by December 10 Abe would be returned as the Senator-elect.
