TheCable

The chairman and 11 members of the executive council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ukpato Ward, Orhiomwon Local Government Area of Edo state.

Receiving the PDP decampees at the government house, Adam oshiomhole, governor of the state, said the exit of the executives had further decimated the PDP in the state.

“Your journey is coming at a very strategic period. When the PDP postponed the elections, they wanted to buy time but as they buy time, they are losing people and as they lose people, they are losing more votes.

“I believe that God has a purpose for touching everybody’s heart who have joined the movement for change because people like you who live in the rural areas know much more than anyone else the pains of poverty, the pains of the failure of the Nigerian state.

“When we buy you a transformer, there is no light. When light comes, the fees the community is asked to pay is more than the entire income of the community. Other than what the state government is doing in Orhionmwon, there is no federal presence in the community.

“The federal government has spent 52% of our earnings on your behalf over the past 16 years and you cannot show one thing they have done. We haven’t fixed all the problems but we have shown that it is possible to begin to address the problems.

“This is why in Orhionmwon we are building schools besides the long road that we are doing from Ugoneki to Urhonigbe. Also we have done roads in Igbanke and all the adjoining communities. We are currently working on the road in Abudu and several others.

“We have also done several red roof schools in several communities, an industrial borehole at Iguododo that will supply water to all the environs just to say but a few. We haven’t fixed all the problems but every day we are doing something new, connecting the people through networks of roads from one community to another, supplying transformers even though they may not enjoy it because the federal government has not delivered power and that is why we say unless we fix the head, you will not enjoy the full benefit of it.”

Oshiomhole assured the defectors of equal privileges in the party, saying they would not regret their action and decision to join forces with APC.

Earlier, Vincent Awekhor, leader of the defectors who is also chairman, Ukpato Ward, applauded the leadership style of the ‘Comrade Governor’ and his people-oriented projects.

“We have watched political activities not only in the state but the federal and have concluded that Nigerians need a change and the change is coming from only one party, which is the APC and because we do not want to be left behind. We have decided today to join the moving train that will bring the desired change to Nigeria.

Other members of the executive who moved to APC are Isaac Osa, secretary; Osamwonui Osifo, assistant secretary; Adudu Idemudia, organising secretary; Kenneth Idemudia, assistant organising secretary; Omorodion J, youth leader; Efosa Ehigiamusoe, treaurer; Jimoh Ibizugbe, ex-officio; Osaro, assistant treasurer; Geoffrey Erabor, ex-officio; John Asenanya and Uzoima Nwachukwu.