By Adibe Emenyonu
The strong hold of former Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih, continues to deplete as about 10,000 of his foot soldiers, led by former council Chairman and National Chairman of ALGON, Mr. Joe Akhabue, dumped the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The cross carpeting took place yesterday at a mega rally organised by the APC to herald the local government election coming up next Saturday at the Samuel Ogbumudia Stadium, Benin City, Edo State.
This is just as the state Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, promised that the will deliver 1.2 million votes to the APC in 2019 presidential election.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, former ALGON Chairman, Akhabue, said they decided to dump the PDP for the APC because it has a performing governor.
“We want to remove Esan West from the hands of the opposition. That is why we have resolved that in any election henceforth, APC will win,” he said.
Receiving the defectors, the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, congratulated them, saying: “They have seen the light.”
He said the APC is a party that welcomes serious workers, who are passionate about the country.
Oyegun, who expressed joy over the size of the crowd of party supporters at the stadium, said he was sure that the APC would win in the 18 local government areas of the state, adding that the party was not a lazy party or a party that takes voters for granted.
The APC national chairman who later presented the party’s flag and brooms to the 18 chairmanship candidates, congratulated Obaseki and ex-governor Adams Oshiomhole, who he described as “the man who laid the foundation.”
He urged the Edo people to vote for the APC in 2019 general elections, just as they are ready to vote for the party next Saturday.
In his speech, Obaseki said the reason for the rally was to present the new crop of leaders that will replicate development at the state and local government levels.
He promised that 1.2 million Edo votes await the APC in the 2019 presidential election, urging the people to go out and vote with their voters’ cards on Saturday.
Also speaking, immediate past governor and the state party leader in the state, Oshiomhole, said with the defection, the broom is just getting better and stronger and that its capacity to sweep is reinforced.
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