The rank of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Edo State was Saturday depleted further, as a former Deputy Governor of the State, Mr. Lucky Imasuen, State Deputy Chairman of the Party, Chief Christopher Adesotu, a former member of House of Representatives and Deputy Governorship candidate of the party in the 2012 Governorship election, John Abolagba, all dumped the party for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The defection ceremony which held at the Urokpota Hall, located at the Ring Road in Benin, made the day a very bad one for the PDP, as over 5,000 other party stalwarts also followed their leaders to the APC.

Mr. Lucky Imasuen who spoke on behalf of others at the ceremony, said it was no longer news that the Peoples Democratic Party has fallen apart.

“Many people have asked me why do you want to join the Comrade Governor? If you wrestle with somebody for so long and you are not able to defeat the person, won’t you join the person? I passed Airport Road, my mother is at Ogida market, I attended Agbado Primary School; Adolo College is in my neighbourhood, I pass Akpakpava road everyday and I see the work the governor has done there.

“Have you been to Edo central and Edo North? My message to my few brothers and sisters left in the PDP; this train will not miss us. The first one is taking off today at the Kings Square and I am joining it with my friends and brothers and I appeal to you that in the next few months the remaining ones that are viable will joining this train to help build a formidable APC that the Comrade Governor has built.

“We are going to take part in the glory of the governor. Everything he has done has been done by all of us. We are not coming to cause any confusion, we will attend our ward meeting where it is taking place and we accept the governor as our leader,” he said.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole who received the defectors, thanked them for their decision to join the All Progressives Congress, assuring that they would be granted equal opportunities as founding members of the party.

“Today, the only political elephant that is left in the PDP has decided with his brothers and sisters across the three senatorial districts to formally renounce their membership of the PDP so that they can realign, readjust and reintegrate with the progressives under the APC platform.

“I am very excited at the opportunity of working hand-in-hand with our brothers and sisters who we know in their heart and by some of the actions they have taken in the past, they rightly belong to the same family of the progressives. The movement of these people to APC means that the PDP is down and finished.

“In APC, we will do everything we can to integrate you into our control structures and to ensure that like other members of the APC, you will get what is due to you. Let me assure you on behalf of the party that we are not welcoming you by lips but by our hearts and working together to ensure continuous good governance in Edo State and under the leadership of President Buhari, now that you have joined us, the broom has become stronger.

“The broom has become more potent; the broom will now be deployed to sweep away any of the other remains and bring change and the benefit of change will accrue to all our people all over the state and to all of you who are members of APC.”

The Governor thereafter formally received the defectors by presenting them with the broom, the symbol of the APC.