Former National Organising Secretary of the Social Democratic Party, Chief Emeka Atuma, on Sunday formally defected to the All Progressives Congress along with his supporters.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Atuma represented Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency (2003-2007) on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party before moving to SDP ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Announcing his entry into APC at a ceremony in his country home in Ntalakwu Oboro, Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, Atuma said he was “elated” to join the party to be part of the struggle to transform the state.
He said: “I am elated to join men and women of like minds, who are desirous to see Abia on the wings of development because our state is backward.
“It is not by mistake that we are here today.
“We are here to form a force that will bring positive change in Abia.”
He said he realised that the change could only come through APC.
Atuma paid tribute to leaders of the party in the state, especially Senator Chris Adighije; Chief Chima Ugboajah, former Chairman of Ikwuano; and Chief Donatus Nwankpa, state Chairman of APC, saying they were instrumental to his joining the party.
“If they desired that I be part of the force to achieve the desired change in Abia, I have no choice than to concede to the pressure,” he said.
He said he was further persuaded to join the APC because of the anti-corruption stance of President Muhammadu Buhari and visible infrastructure development across the country.
In a speech, Ugboajah described Atuma’s defection to APC as a great feat for the local government area and Abia State.
He said: “Today is a great day for Ikwuano, Abia and entire Nigeria.
“It is not easy for great men to leave their comfort zone to join APC.”
Ugboajah, who was the Director-General of Uche Ogah Governorship Campaign Organisation in 2019, regretted the party’s loss at the poll, but assured the people that “in 2023, we shall recover what we lost.”
He said the massive infrastructure deficit and underdevelopment of the state under the PDP administration called for all prominent Abia State citizens to join the struggle to deliver the state from PDP.
He said: “Abia is the worst state in Nigeria today.
“If you travel to Ebonyi (which was created five years after Abia), you will weep because of the huge infrastructure decay and insecurity in Abia.
“What is happening in Abia is not tolerable to us and it is unacceptable to us.
“Eminent sons and daughters of Abia at home and in diaspora have said that they are no longer comfortable with the situation and have resolved to come together to rebuild the state.
“It is embarrassing.
“PDP has failed woefully in Abia and I can assure you that in 2023, no matter what they do, we will recover the state.”
Also, the state party chairman said the ceremony, codenamed: “Operation deliver Abia,” was an opportunity for all well-meaning Abia indigenes to interface on how to make the state great.
Nwankpa said: “Abia must be free in our time and a member of the comity of developed states in the federation.
“We know that with somebody as Atuma in APC, we are going to liberate Abia.”
He said that strategic efforts were being made to bring all the remaining four states of the South East into the APC “in order to join the mainstream of the nation’s politics.”
NAN reports that major highlight of the ceremony was the formal presentation of the APC registration cards and broom (APC’s symbol) to Atuma and Chinedu Kanu, who defected from the All Progressives Grand Alliance.
The event was attended by members of the APC state working committee, local government chairmen and a former state Chairman of the SDP, Chief Chidi Nwosu, who returned to APC shortly after the 2019 polls
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