A chieftain, Mazi Emma Uche on Tuesday, announced withdrawal of his membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress in Nigeria for the Labour Party (LP) in Abia state.
He defected to LP alongside with close political associates and teeming supporters across all local electoral wards in Arochukwu local government area of the state.
The Abia stalwart who announced the development, while addressing a cross section of journalists on Tuesday.
Mr Uche, a former candidate of the APC during the last local council area elections held in Abia state, cited the persisting and unavoidable internal crisis ravaging the Abia chapter of the All Progressives Congress necessitated before outcomes of the recently-conducted 2023 general elections in most states of the federation including Abia, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He regretted that the persisting crisis in the state party chapter has continued to truncate the genuine desire and chances of the APC to win election and form a government in Abia state.
Uche, a foremost business tycoon also frowned the poor performances of the APC at the recently-held governorship election in the state, wherein the party’s main gubernatorial candidate, Mr Ikechi Emenike, emerged fourth position at the conclusion of the state election.
He insisted that the progressive party has lost direction and goodwills of people of the state, disclosing, his decampment to labour party has no personal political aggrandisements, rather, is shrouded on the efforts by patriotic Abians to engender true democracy in every parts of the state, especially, in engendering transformation in state’s economy and critical infrastructure.
According to him in words: “Otti has the required capacity, ability, competence, and expertises to address myriads of challenges impeding growths of the state; and restore the state on the path of economic greatness. He has demonstrated similar strides in private sector-driven administration and economic investments in the country.
“On these basis, i and my teeming supporters from Arochukwu local government council area, other numerous of APC faithfuls and supporters decided to identify with competence, because the capacity of the new governor-elect is not in doubts, and shall he will replicate immediately the newly elected government formal inaugural event holds on 29th May, 2023.
“So, i urge Abia people, and entire populaces in the state to rally-round and offer necessary and maximum supports to the incoming administration of the Labour Party (LP) under the new Governor-elect of Abia state, Dr Alex Otti, to enable him success in this onerous task in rebuilding Abia state”.
AFRIPOST recalls Otti, an ex-bank chief and Abia flagbearer of the labour party (LP), was declared winner of the just-concluded 2023 main governorship elections held in the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), after polling a total of 175, 467 votes cast to beat close rivals, beating close rivals whom were the candidate to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Okey Ahiwe who scored 88,529 votes to come second.
Others were, Engr. Enyinnaya Chima Nwafor of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) emerged third place with 28,972 votes casts, and Chief Ikechi Emenike of All Progressives Congress (APC), also scored a total number of 8,24,091 votes to gain fourth place.