The gale of defections in Abia State caused by alleged poor handling of the internal politics of the major political parties by their leaders continued unabated as more political leaders are set to dump their parties for the Action People’s Party (APP).
Some of them said they decided to join the APP because of the love they have for its governoship candidate in the 2023 gubernatorial election in Abia State, Chief Mascot Uzor Kalu.
Recently, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, Dr. Tom Otuka dumped the party for the Action People’s Party (APP).
Otuka was formally received into the party on Saturday, 23rd July at Ndoki Resort Ohanso- Ndoki by the governoship candidate of the party in Abia State, Chief Mascot Uzor Kalu.
Dr. Tom Otuka was the deputy governoship candidate to Ikechi Emenike – a factional governoship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 gubernatorial election in Abia State.
Otuka, is a Russia-trained medical doctor and grassroot politician from Ndoki in Ukwa East council area.
Similarly, a former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly and member representing Arochukwu/ Ohafia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Arua Arunsi dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the Action People’s Party (APP).
Arunsi, an influential politician from Nkporo, Ohafia Local Government Area, is expected to fly the party’s flag in the 2023 House of Representatives election for Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency.
With political bigwigs joining the party, a party source told our correspondent that thousands of Abians are embracing the APP because of its balanced governoship ticket for the 2023 gubernatorial election in Abia State.
The source said, “The recent wave of defections of political heavyweights leaving the APC, PDP, APGA and Labour Party in Abia state is surely leaving so much to be desired.
“Despite the vitriolic lamentations of the PDP and APC establishments, political pundits are sifting the moves as coming from all directions as a volte-face and signal of an impending political tsunami threatening the entire foundation of the PDP and APC in Abia. The secret is because of the APP’s balanced governoship ticket.
“This is akin to a similar force that swept the old order in 2007, when Theodore Orji of the Progressives People’s Alliance (PPA) defeated Onyeama Ugochukwu of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP),” the source said.
Recall that the APP had announced Prof. Osondu Akoma, from Ndoki as the deputy governorship candidate and running mate to the governorship candidate of the party, Chief Mascot Uzor Kalu.
A group, Ngwa United Alliance (NUA), expressed gratitude to its candidate, Kalu, and Action People’s Party (APP) for supporting a party’s stalwart, Prof Osondu Akoma to emerge as deputy governorship candidate of the party.
Akoma , a dedicated, committed, well respected academician and technocrat from Ukwa bloc of Abia South senatorial district will be running on the same ticket with Former Chief of Staff to Abia state government, Mascot Kalu who is the governorship candidate.
Speaking to newsmen in Umuahia, a leading member of NUA, Chief Apollos Jacob described Akoma as a result-oriented man who over the years, has put his experience of service to the development of humanity .
He expressed confidence that APP’s choice of Prof Osondu Akoma as running mate to Mascot Kalu for the 2023 governorship election will ensure victory for the party.
According to Jacob , “On behalf of Ngwa United Alliance , I want to express my unreserved gratitude to Mascot Kalu for standing by his words to ensure that credible leader from Ukwa Ngwa emerged as running candidate of the Enyimba party, APP for the coming elections in 2023.
“Prof Osondu Jacob emergence as deputy governorship candidate is a welcomed development because he is a man who has the interest of Abia state and all Abians at heart. He is from a responsible Christian family as his father is a retired Venerable in Anglican Church .
“Kalu and the APP made the right choice because Akoma has the ability to unite the Ngwa people and I believe that with this development, even the aggrieved people from the area will all support the party because he is a great leader.
“Without an iota of doubt, his emergence as running mate to Kalu , is a sure determinant of victory for APP and I want to assure him of NUA continuous support and loyalty to actualize this political aspirations of the betterment of our dear state and Nigeria at large, ” he said.
