Many members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), accompanied by their supporters.
The notable PDP figures who formally joined the APC at the party’s secretariat in Enugu included Senator Chukwuka Utazi, former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Anti-corruption and Financial Crimes, and Ambassador Fidelia Njeze, Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Davidson Nnamani, Juliet Oloto, Chika Idoko, Jonathan Eze, and Mr Umunna Ugwu, Ezi-Obodo Idodo of the Young Progressives Party, joined them in the defection.
The event was attended by prominent APC leaders, including the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology and APC Enugu State leader, Uche Nnaji, as well as APC National Deputy Chairman South, Emma Eneukwu, and APC National Vice Chairman South East, Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu.
Regarding his decision to defect, Senator Utazi, who represented Enugu North Senatorial District at the National Assembly, expressed his desire to align with the APC to foster Igbo presidency aspirations. He emphasized the need for Enugu to have a more robust representation at the national level and cited the APC as the platform to achieve this goal.
In his address, Utazi highlighted the importance of joining mainstream national politics, emphasizing that APC membership would provide opportunities for more significant influence and contributions to national development.
He said, “As a national politician, I want to join politics at the centre. What we are doing in Enugu cannot take Enugu anywhere. I resigned from PDP. Nothing is coming to Enugu. If you are not at the centre, you are failing.
“The only way to get Igbo presidency is to serve as a servant at the APC. I want to serve in the party. APC is the only way to join the mainstream national. We will ensure that members join the party. With the party discipline, we will go far.”
Welcoming the defectors, APC National Deputy Chairman South, Emma Eneukwu, urged them to uphold party discipline and refrain from engaging in anti-party activities, emphasizing that such conduct would not be tolerated within the APC ranks.
