Former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Francis Okiye, former governorship aspirant Hon. Felix Akhabue, and former Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Deputy Governor, Hon. Kingsley Ehigiamusoe, along with thousands of their supporters, rejoined the All Progressives Congress (APC) at a rally in Uromi, Esan North East local government area, on Sunday.
A few days prior, the three had resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing exclusion by Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration. They were welcomed by the Acting State Chairman of the APC, Emperor Jarret, and other party leaders, including the APC’s governorship candidate, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, and his running mate, Hon. Dennis Idahosa.
Akhabue expressed his happiness at returning to the APC and stated that their defection marked the beginning of a movement that would lead the APC to victory in Edo Central and the entire state in the 2024 governorship elections.
Okiye said “we had met, discussed and asked Governor Godwin Obaseki led PDP government to address the issue of alienation, disillusionment and high handedness and despotic tendencies.
“Nothing has been done to address the issue, so we, the “aborigine” PDP, have just given the Obaseki led PDP a red card.
“My movement to APC will help the party and I will be simple with my analysis.
“In a democracy, votes matter. So my exit from PDP is a minus to the party whether anybody likes to interpret otherwise. If they are democrats, they will know that at least they have lost my vote not to talk of many others that moved with me to APC.
“With what happened today (Sunday), they have lost a minimum of 500 votes and these 500 people also have people they can convince to work for APC.
“We will begin the house to house campaign soon and let people know why they must leave PDP and join the APC. They must vote for a candidate that is humane and not business people who are in the state to make profit,” he added.
