Two members of the Abia State House of Assembly elected on the platform of Young Progressive Party (YPP) have defected to the Labour Party on Friday.
The lawmakers are Fyne Ahuama of Osisioma Ngwa South and Iheanacho Nwogu representing Osisioma Ngwa North.
Receiving the new members at Ngwa High School, Aba during a reception, Governor Alex Otti said that the two members have been working with his government since its inception.
Otti said that they did not join him for any pecuniary reasons but because of their belief in a functional government, adding that his government is one that does not share money but creates an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.
“I want to put on record that the two gentlemen who just declared their membership of the Labour Party have actually been working with us. They are not working with us for any personal reasons,” Otti said.
“Immediately after our inauguration, I convened a meeting with all the members of the assembly, and I used that opportunity to introduce to them the kind of government we intended to run.
“The majority of them bought into that vision; both Hon. Fyne Ahuama and Hon. Iheanacho Nwogu were one of the first members of the House of Assembly that bought into the vision.
“Our government is a government that supports business and creates an enabling environment for people to make money. Our government gives people access so that they can be independent. Our government is not a government that shares fish; our government is a government that teaches people how to fish.
“So, this is not a government that shares money, and we are unapologetic about it. We are a government that supports business, and our message to the opposition and all the people is that we are not going to share money.”
The governor, who said he is focused on working for the people, added that he has the support of the people and announced that after observing that the contractor handling Ekeakpara Road is not fast in the delivery, he has directed the Commissioner for Works to summon him with a view to ensuring that the work meets up with the expected speed.
He disclosed that more roads would be built in Osisioma Ngwa LGA and announced that in the next 24 months, a five-star hotel and an international conference centre would be built in Aba to boost the economy.
He appreciated the Osisioma people for their support of his administration and said that the Labour Party registeration processes are at the wards and open to accepting new members, and he enjoined people to get registered with the party.
With this defections, the YPP no longer has any member at the Abia State House of Assembly.
Labour Party now becomes the majority party with 12 lawmakers, the PDP has 11, and the APC has one.