Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Governor Nyesom Wike and chieftains of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Rivers led by Amb. Desmond Akawor, the chairman of the party have rolled drums to welcome prominent members of the state chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC into their fold.
Prominent among those defecting are the immediate past
Spokesman of Rivers APC, Ogbonna Nwuke,who is former member representing Etche-Omuma federal constituency in the House of Representatives and at various times, the Commissioner for Information and Communications and Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in Rivers.
According to Rivers PDP Chairman, the APC members will be received by Governor Wike at Isaac Boro Park tomorrow, Thursday, 30th September 2021.
PDP will also welcome decampees from other parties at the event.
Others who are jumping ship also include;Rt.Hon. Chibudom Nwuche, former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon.Stephen Ezekwem, former. Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon.Emma Deeya, former member, House of Representatives, Hon. Alabo Charles Dokubo, Hon.Ngo Martins Yellowe, former Chairman,Civil Service Commission, Hon.Goodlife Mmekini, fomer SA to former Govenor and nine other prominent APC members and others.
The invitation cards for the reception has been circulating in Rivers.
Nwuke,had last week issued a press statement announcing his resignation as spokesman of Rivers APC stating “personal reasons”.
However Nwuke has also been quoted as complaining that:“ I was told that there is change in the APC but I did not see any change”
“My defection will do Etche people good.The only thing we got in APC is an aide to the Chairman of the NDDC and a member of a governing board of a College in the north”.
In a chat with our Correspondent last week, Nwuke stated his frustrations as Spokesman of APC.
He alleged that the leadership of the party did not give any support to carry out his duty as the Chief image maker of the party in the state.
Ogbonna Nwuke restrained from calling names as the cause of leaving the party.
However,political observers believe that the blame is squarely on the leadership style of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation and former Governor who is the leader of the party in the state.
He has been accused running the party as a dictator and a sole proprietor.
An insider in APC confided in our Correspondent that one of the immediate reasons for dumping the party was that his interest to run for the Chairmanship of the party in state was rejected by Amaechi during a stakeholders’ meeting of the party held in Port Harcourt about a week ago.
This is coupled with the unresolved crisis between Amaechi and former Senator Magnus Abe and his supporters.
No doubt, Governor Nyesom Wike and the PDP have reasons to celebrate the trooping of key members of APC to PDP.
But it will be another blow to Amaechi under whose leaxdership the party was denied participation in the 2019 general election n Rivers as a result of numerous court cases.
Meanwhile, several calls put across to Nwuke today could not go through as his phone lines were switched off.