Mass Exodus hits Ebonyi APC

By Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki

Less than a week after the President of National Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Ebonyi State chapter, Onyeoma Kelechi, led his members and teachers of the union to decamp from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the former Chairman of ‎Ohaukwu Local Government Area, Mrs. Chinyere Elom, yesterday defected from the APC to PDP. 

Elom, who decamped with her over 2,000 supporters at Nshingbo ward one, said her reason for returning to her former party was because she was overwhelmed with the sterling performances of the incumbent state Governor, David Umahi.

THISDAY gathered that the defection of former council boss was necessitated by the defection of the school proprietors’ boss who was described as “a political big force” in Ohaukwu council area of the state.

The president was said to have garnered enough political clout and popularity by controlling the owners, teachers and students of all private schools in the state.

It was also gathered that since its state congresses in 2014, APC in the state had been enmeshed in leadership crisis, leaving no hope of possible early resolutions, as the party National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, had been accused of complexity in the crisis. 

The former council boss defected to the Labour Party (LP) in 2014 and later joined the APC after its presidential victory in 2015. 

She noted that her people has benefited immensely from the governor good roads network, appointments as management committee members and liaison officers, adding that the governor also  gave staff of office to their traditional ruler. 

Elom, who maintained that she cannot abandon her political mentor, disclosed that under PDP, she was appointed two times Special Assistant, acting chairman at Ekumenyi; General Manager of Ebonyi Hotel and Tourism Board and a substantive chairman of Ohaukwu council area. 

She added that she was not looking for any political position, calling on the people of Ekwashi to be united for the PDP.

Reacting to the defection, Kelechi noted that some political bigwigs, including former National Assembly members and former commissioners have indicated interest to join the PDP, maintaining that he was the founder of Ebonyi APC Youth Vanguard in the state but was disenchanted with the way and manner the APC federal government had reneged on it change mantra and promises.

He promised that his members would work assiduously to ensure the victory of the governor and other PDP candidates in the general elections.

“We, the forum of private schools owners, had organised a rally for the adoption of the governor as our sole candidate. The rally is the best of its kind because we did not levy, extort or borrow money to host it.  We are happy with the development strides of the state governor. He has achieved so much in all the sectors, especially education,” Kelechi stated.