Massive defection on Tuesday hit the All Progressives Congress in Benue State as scores of its chieftains dumped the ruling party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The defectors numbering over 2,000, who were led by Hon. Thomas Mlanga joined the opposition party in Ucha, Ukum Local Government Area of the state. The ceremony was performed by former governor Gabriel Suswam.
In a statement signed by the state PDP publicity secretary, Bemgba Iortyom, the party commended the decampees for taking the wise decision to cross over into the light having realized they were only tricked with empty promises by the APC.
“As rightly stated by the lead decampee, Thomas Mlanga, at the occasion, the immediate past PDP-led administration of Rt. Hon. Gabriel Torwua Suswam, brought unprecedented prosperity and development to the people of Sankera area through the execution of massive infrastructural projects, pointing to the Zaki-Biam-Afia-Gbeji Road which passes through Ucha, as one of such projects.
“We like to emphasise here that, after sixteen years of stable existence during which period the PDP steered the ship of the Nigerian state to entrench democracy, and having emerged as one of Africa’s foremost political parties, our great party remains the only viable alternative for the Nigerian people, irrespective of tribe, religion or social status.
“The doors of the PDP are still wide open to receive more and more of Benue people who, realising their mistakes and are returning home”, he said.
Reacting, however, Berger Alfred Emberga, State Publicity Secretary, APC, described the claim by the PDP as false and misleading, insisting that no member of the APC defected to the former ruling party.
He said, “We wish to clear the air on the misinformation making round on social media that over two thousand members of the governing All Progressives Congress,APC, yesterday defected to the outlawed faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at Afia in Ukum Local Government.
“We find this news not only misleading but a desperate plot by the factionalized group of PDP to give her supporters false hope to believe that all is well with the party in Ukum local government, even when there is absolutely no hope of survival for the party in the local government.
“It should be recalled that the mass burial of the party in Ukum local government took place early this year when RT. Hon.Bar. Emmanuel Undende led thousands of his supporters to dump the party in a grand style which culminated into closing the chapter of opposition politics in the area.”
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