Benue State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday, May 7 received to its camp five new defectors from the All Progressive Congress, APC.
Naija News understands that the decampers including five ward chairmen and their supporters joined the opposition party in the Makurdi Local Government Area of the state. The defection ceremony held at the LGEA Primary School, Wurukum, Makurdi, was witnessed by top government officials and PDP chieftains across the state.
The names of the defectors were given as; Peter Jacob, Chairman, Bar council ward, Ibrahim Hassan, Central South Mission ward, Audu Jacob, Chairman of Modern Market ward, Tor Joseph and Orshio Clifford of Walomayo and Mbalagh council wards.
Receiving the new members on behalf of Governor Samuel Ortom, the Chief of Staff to the State Governor, Terwase Orbunde, applauded their decision to have jettisoned the APC which he described as a failed political party that could not secure the lives of people and revive the economy of the country.
The governor told the defectors that PDP was the only political party that could guarantee the security and economic survival of the country and assured them of equal rights and privileges in the party. In his remark, the state PDP Chairman, John Ngbede, expressed delight that the defection of the APC ward chairmen and other top members had weakened the party in Makurdi LGA, stressing that the APC must be voted out of power at the national level to ensure a better Nigeria.
Ngbede congratulated the defectors on joining a stronger and winning party and called on them to rally around the state governor to enable him to defend the people and to undertake more people-oriented projects.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Ibrahim Alhassan formerly of the APC Central Mission, and Solomon Kwaghtser formerly of APC Makurdi South said the decision to join the PDP was to team up with the Governor who they noted had done well in tackling the security challenges confronting the state.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), and Yobe state Governor, Mai Mala Buni has described as false, the news that he and Senate President Ahmad Lawan are at loggerheads with each other.
Buni said this in a reaction to reports that there is a rift between him Lawan over the forthcoming 2023 presidential election, Naija News reports.