Many Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders declared support for Governor Alex Otti on Tuesday and were received by the leadership of the Labour Party (LP) in Aba South Local Government Area, after dumping their former party.
Receiving the defectors, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, who equally represents the Aba South State Constituency, welcomed them as his kinsmen, who love the good works Governor Alex Otti is doing, having seen positive changes in the native communities in Aba South.
Emeruwa also described the defectors as notable indigenous political gladiators over the years in the Aba South political field, stressing that even before they joined the Labour Party, they had been supportive after seeing some progressive impacts of the governor.
He said he had expected them to take this type of decision they took, to join and fully support a government that means well for their people, because of the way Governor Alex Otti has brought a paradigm shift that is visible to the blind and audible to the deaf.
Emeruwa described the coming of the defectors as a plus to the Labour Party and advised the party’s chairman in Aba South, Mr Mmaju Egbebu, to integrate them into the party’s ways of doing things immediately, as they will be vital to the already concluded plan that Aba belongs to Otti in 2027.
He said that the Labour Party in Abia is not leaving anything to chance in the 2027 election, stressing that they’re already aware that it will be a technical one but are very sure that they will emerge victorious because the government has repaid the truth the people gave to it.
He advised both the old and new members to make a move to ensure that they register and revalidate their membership of the party on or before the 30th of March, which is the deadline for the registration.
Emeruwa said that the membership registration has become extremely important because the upcoming primary election will be a direct primary, as there will be no rooms for delegates.
“You should know that the power is in your hands now. There’s nothing like taking wine to delegates anymore. Those of you who are registered will be eligible to vote.”
He called on all residents of Aba South to take the continuous voter registration very seriously as well, as it is only through registration that they will be able to vote for Governor Alex Otti and other people he is working with so that the good works ongoing will be sustained.
Speaking earlier on behalf of the defectors, immediate past Abia State Legal Adviser of the PDP, Barr Chiji Nkaru, said that even in his former party, he has always been pro labour, pro people, pro progressives and pro development.
He added that as a believer of the progress and emancipation of the people, which is exactly what is happening in Abia State under Alex Otti, he is only aligning with something he believes in but is not naturally new to him.
Also speaking earlier on behalf of the defectors, a former transition committee (TC) chairman, Elder Chima Mbama, described PDP as a forgotten story in Aba South, stressing that with their own recent exit together with their followers, PDP is completely gone in Aba South.
He said that he and his fellow defectors cannot continue to see the light and choose not to identify with it, stressing that Governor Alex Otti has completely surpassed what they initially expected.
The defectors, who are majorly indigenous people of Aba, unanimously vowed to ensure that the campaign in their local government for Alex Otti will be a mere formality and urged the governor to focus elsewhere for his campaign, as Aba South is already a done deal for him.
The occasion attracted so many dignitaries from the ruling LP, including the Mayor of Aba South, Obilor Anyawu; General Manager of the Abia State Debt Management Office, Dr Kingsley Nwaigburu; the Area Coordinator of the Abia State Harmonised Taskforce Aba District, Hon. Uche Wogu; Deputy General Manager of the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA), Hon. Okezie Ezengwa; and many others.
