- South East leaders of the APC were absent at the rally
BY GODSON NWEZE, ABAKILIKI
South East leaders of the All Progressive Congress, APC were absent at a rally in Abakaliki, where Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressive Congress, APC.
Among those absent at the rally include Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Labour and employment, Chris Ngige, Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma, Minister of State for Solid Minerals Development, Uche Ogah, Minister of State, Education, Hon Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, and others
No reason was given for their absence at the rally.
Governor Umahi said Ebonyi State has been freed from dictatorship, saying his movement from the PDP to the APC is a blessing to the State.
He spoke at the Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki, where he officially declared for the ruling party alongside thousands of his supporters.
“I have sacrificed myself, for the interest of the South East and Ebonyi State, in particular, I sacrificed myself. We have dwelt so much in one political party and it is time to move to the centre. We are so grateful to God who directs our affairs” he said
Umahi continued “This movement is the will of God. You cannot truncate the will of God. Today I can say that our state is is 99.9%.APC.South-East we all move to APC. We have to launch together, we are tired of empty promises. We want action, in the now,”
Chairman, National Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Mai Mala Buni, commended the governor for performing great in governance.
“Your intention to join APC is timely. Its appropriate because you are coming to our party at a time we have started rebuilding this party, we have started with reconciliation and now we have started the second phase of membership across the country” he said.
The event was attended by Governors of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, Alhaji Abubaker Bello of Niger State, and Alhaji Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State.
Others are former Senate President Ken Nnamani.
Also present at the official defection include the Minister of Justice/Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Affairs, Mohammed Sarki Abba, and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq.
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