By Dennis Essang, Port Harcourt
The fortune of the All Progressive Congress ( APC) was depleted, over the weekend, as 1000 members dumped the party for the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) in Etche local government area of Rivers state.
Chief Ambrose Nwizi, who was the former APC aspirant for Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency, led over 1000 of his former APC members to defect to the PDP at a ceremony held at the state school Afara in Etche local government area.
The Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike, who received the defectors, urged the political leaders of the PDP in the area to work hard for the over-all interest of their people.
Governor Wike said he made a promise to reconcile all the aggrieved members of the party during a second term inauguration, and will not allow further division in the party. He called on the leader of the party in Etche local government area, Prince Emmanuel Anyanwu, to carry every member of the party along in the scheme of things.
His words: “Etche people must understand that there is time for everything. As a people, you must put yourselves together and understand that the development of Etche must be more important than your own personal development.
“When one man is rich and the place is poor, does that make sense? What is important is for all of you to come together and work for the interest of entire Etche ethnic nationality.”
Receiving the deflectors, chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ambassador Desmond Akawor, said the return of Chief Ambrose Nwizi to the party was prompted by the developmental strides of Governor Nyesom Wike across the state.
Ambassador Akawor stated that with the defection of Ambrose Nwizi to the PDD, there is no more APC in Etche local government Area.
In his remark, Chief Ambrose Nwizi, apologised to Etche people for what he described as sabbatical journey to the APC. He emphasised that his return to the PDP was not for political gain; but to joined hand with other party leaders in the area to build the party.