Andy Uba’s Kinsmen Decamp to PDP, Declare Support for Ozigbo

By Nseobong Okon-Ekong

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Anambra State, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo, has made a major gain as the entire executives of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his hometown, Uga in Aguata local government area of the state dumped the APC for the PDP.

In a recent ceremony held at Grand East Hotel in Awka , 37 APC executives led by the chairman, Mr Paul Chuks Umenduka threw their weight behind Mr Ozigbo declaring him as “the right leader to take Anambra to the promised land.”

According to Umenduka, the party in Uga Ward was abandoning its candidate, Senator Andy Uba, because they feel he is “the worst option for Anambra” and their conscience would not allow them to “support evil in the state.”

Aguata LGA is the home of Senator Andy Uba the flag-bearer of the APC and Professor Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), making this move a significant boost for Ozigbo ahead of the November 6 election.

This is a significant blow against Uba because the APC chairman in his ward Uga Ward II, Christian Anaeto and other leaders like Ndubuisi Daniel are also among the 37 leaders who dumped the party and joined PDP, effectively leaving Uba without a structure in his own locality.

“We see in Valentine Ozigbo, a leader who will rescue Anambra from the terrible state we are in. We see in him a humble leader who will carry everybody along, who will listen to everyone,” Umenduka said.

“We see in Valentine Ozigbo the new generation leader that will take Anambra to the promised land.

“So, we the entire executives of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Aguata LGA hereby decamp from our party and join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“We hereby collapse our structures into PDP and throw our support behind Valentine Ozigbo. Come November 6, we are urging all Ndi Anambra to come out in their numbers and vote for PDP, the ‘Umbrella’ party which is big and accomodating to all.”

Some of the APC leaders who were at the decamping ceremony were Ezenwata Obimma (Deputy LG Chairman), Bibiana Mbamalu (Woman Leader), Vitua Ajugo (Youth Leader, Edith Michael (Exco), Theophilis Onyekwe (Exco), Chigbo Agazie (Umuchi 1), Ifeanyi Eenwamma (Auditor), Chibuike Okpalauchaegbu (Achinna 1), Ndubueze Ezebekwe, Emeka Ilo, Theresa Obiajunwa, Edwin Okeke, Edith Michael, Okoye Okechukwu.

In his response, Valentine Ozigbo thanked the new PDP members for their courage and urged them to be steadfast, affirming that the PDP would win the Saturday election.

The Anambra governorship election of November 6 promises to be tension-soaked as the contest comes down to three major political parties, Mr Valentine Ozigbo of the PDP, Professor Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and Senator Andy Ubah of the APC, with the likes of Dr. Godwin Maduka of Accord and Dr. Obiora Okonkwo of Zenith Labour Party, showing promise of an upset.