Tens of members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Enugu State have defected to the All Progressives Congress with their supporters.
The PDP chieftains who were formerly received at the party’s secretariat on Saturday in Enugu are the former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Anti-corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, and former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Ambassador Fidelia Njeze.
Other members of the PDP who defected to APC are Davidson Nnamani, Juliet Oloto, Chika Idoko, Jonathan Eze, and Mr Umunna Ugwu, Ezi-Obodo Idodo of the Young Progressives Party.
The defection party was attended by leaders of APC including the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology and leader of APC Enugu State, Uche Nnaji, and the leader of APC Enugu State; APC National Deputy Chairman South, Emma Eneukwu and APC National Vice Chairman South East, Dr Ijeoma Arodiogbu.
Speaking on his defection, Utazi who represented Enugu North Senatorial District at the National Assembly between 2015 and 2023 said he was joining the APC because it is the only way to realise the presidency of Igbo extraction.
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.”
Receiving the defectors to the party, Eneukwu charged them to shun anti-party activities, warning that the party would not tolerate it.
