500 persons from the ruling Labour Party (LP) in Abia state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Young People’s Party (YPP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) have detected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bende Federal Constituency of the state.
The people formally announced their defection to APC on Tuesday following the visit of the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu to various wards of the constituency.
A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu stated that so far, the deputy speaker has visited 5 wards covering Item Ward A, B, C; Ugwueke/Ezeukwu and Itumbauzo Wards where he welcomed into APC more than 400 people.
Kalu’s visit to Alayi Ward in the constituency Monday evening, also recorded the defection of over 100 persons from PDP, AGPA, LP and YPP to APC.
Amongst those who defected were former PDP councillors from Alayi Ward A, Enoch Elekwa and Chukwu Udensi.
Others were former LP ward chairman, Jonah Chukwu; YPP ward vice chairman, Ekeoma Sylvester Eze and former APGA local government chairman, Ndubuisi Sunday Agu.
Similarly, more than 100 persons announced their defection from the PDP and other political parties to APC when Kalu visited Umuhu Ezechi Ward on Tuesday.
Speaking during the tour, a former Commissioner and Bende local government chairman who handed over to Kalu as a council chairman 22 years ago, Paul Mba said that the performance of the deputy speaker as a parliamentarian attracted them to APC.
Mba also expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for signing the South East Development Commission (SEDC) bill into law.
Lauding Kalu for attracting many projects to the ward, he promised massive support for APC in the ward.
In his remarks, the deputy speaker who received the people and handed them a bunch of broom as APC’s symbol said he was in Umuhu Ezechi to show gratitude to the people for voting him in the 2023 general election.
He urged the people to continue to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who graciously signed the South East Development Commission (SEDC) bill recently.
Kalu added that the commission will create employment for the people and also meet the infrastructural needs of the people.
The deputy speaker later distributed bags of rice, fertilisers and cash donations to the youth, women and men’s groups.
He urged the people to continue supporting President Tinubu and the APC government, assuring them of more dividends of democracy.