Former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Francis Okiye, a former governorship aspirant, under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon Felix Akhabue, former Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Deputy Governor, Hin Kingsley Ehigiamusoe and thousands of their supporters on Sunday rejoined the All Progressives Congress (APC) at a rally in Uromi, headquarters of Esan North East local government area.
The three had a few days ago at various times resigned their members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for alleged exclusion by the Governor Godwin Obaseki administration.
They were received by the Acting State Chairman of the APC, Emperor Jarret accompanied by several other party leaders including the party’s governorship candidate, Sen Monday Okpebholo and his running mate, Hon Dennis Idahosa.
Akhabue said he was happy to be back home. He further said the defection was a beginning of a movement that would sweep victory for the APC in Edo Central and the state as a whole in the forthcoming 2024 governorship elections.
On his part, 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.