Arrangements have been concluded by some top members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State to decamp to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP).
A privy to a high profile meeting of the PDP chieftains told THE WHISPERER that former federal and state legislators and commissioners as well as former local government chairmen have concluded plans to dump the party— after its woeful performance in the 2023 general elections.
THE WHISPERER gathered that some of the party’s aspirants are unhappy following the inability of the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission, ABSIEC, to vacate court orders restraining it from conducting the hurriedly scheduled May 2023 local government chairmanship and councilorship elections.
“Some of these aspirants are negotiating with the Labour Party (LP) to be considered for the positions they aspired for under the PDP— such as chairmanship and councilorship positions. We are not happy with the PDP, especially the outcome of the failed local government election. How can you collect money from your members in the name of forms without returning them? Do they expect us to remain in the party? So many of us are negotiating with Labour Party, and, I am aware others are lobbying Governor Alex Otti for political appointments,” the source said.
Further findings by THE WHISPERER showed that a former House of Representatives aspirant is leading the pack of the defectors from Abia North Senatorial to the APC.
“These chieftains have already joined the APC without making noise about it. Some of them are already lobbying for federal appointments through the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu. Some of them are moving based on the order of their political godfathers. One thing is sure, PDP is finished in Abia,” a chieftain of the APC who preferred not to be named said.
For the first time in a long while, especially, since Nigeria’s return to civil rule, the Abia State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), failed to assert any form of control or influence at the state level after the general elections.
The development has not only left Abia PDP in palpable disarray, but also further exposed the party’s gradual and systemic weakening by some of its own, who would not let any opportunity to take their supposed pound of flesh against the party leadership slide.
Prior to the 2023 general elections, the party lost top chieftains like Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, Hon. Ginger Onwusibe, Engr. Enyinnaya Nwafor, Dr. Chima Anyanso, Prof. Greg Ibe, Hon. Amobi Ogah among others.
Elder Amah Abraham, acting publicity secretary of the party, could not be reached for comments.
