The All Progressives Congress (APC), which has already suffered a huge loss in Delta state, may even suffer more diminution in Delta North, as active party members in the senatorial district defect to the People’s Democratic Party.
On Sunday, 22 January, 2023, Mount Ned, in Idumuje Ugboko, the country home of the Antarctica explorer and present Delta North PDP senatorial candidate, Prince Ned Nwoko, was agog with APC decampees, set to officially embrace PDP, with a pledge to give their 100 percent votes to the party, as Nigeria heads towards the 2023 general elections.
Stating why they dumped APC for PDP, the leader of the defectors, Comrade Jibunor Udoka Joshua, whom until 22 January, 2023, was the APC youth leader in Ward 8, Aniocha North local government area, said that, the decision to leave APC became necessary due to the malice prevalent in the party.
In Udoka’s words, “PDP is my mother party and I am glad to be home again. I have benefited more from PDP than I will ever benefit from APC. I learnt the hard way, but its okay. As a matter of fact, I am one of the beneficiaries of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa youth empowerment initiative. Over there in APC, I was being taken advantage of with nothing to show for it. APC is characterized with deceit, hatred and incessant malice. With their kind of structure, I cannot achieve my political goals.”
In addition to Udoka’s reasons, Comrade Nwulu Destiny, Aniocha North APC organising secretary, stated that, he left APC for PDP in order to fully support Ned Nwoko, whom he described as his father.
According to Nwulu, it will be unwise to continue aggrandizing APC while his home person with reputable track records is contesting in PDP platform. Hence, he decided not to only leave APC, but also take as much members as he could along with him, to support Nwoko, and for Nwoko’s sake, support other PDP candidates.
Nwoko received the defectors and assured them fair play and equal opportunities in the party. He, however, urged them to work together with other party faithfuls and foot soldiers to ensure victory for PDP at all levels in the forthcoming elections.
While expressing glee, Dr Michael Nwoko, better known as Political Oshobe, the Director, Contact and Mobilization for Ned Nwoko campaign organisation, stated that, he is most delighted because, majority of the defectors are very active. Pointing out that, he has encountered most of them in the field in past elections. He acknowledged that their presence in PDP would yield more positive results for the party.
A major event highlight was the burning of brooms, APC symbol, by the decampees. Nwoko, in return, presented them with umbrellas, PDP symbol, to further reinforce their membership and acceptance into PDP.
