Barely 48 hours to the Benue South senatorial rerun, no fewer than 1000 members and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) including its caretaker Chairman in Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State, have defected from the party. The APC members announced their defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday.
This is even as Alhaji Usman Abubakar (a.k.a. Young Alhaji) stormed the hometown of the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate for Saturday’s rerun, Comrade Daniel Onjeh, in company of Comrade Abba Moro and Hon Chris Adaba Abbah.
A leader of the group and immediate past Chairman of APC in Ogbadibo, Hon. Benard Agada (a.k.a. Soja) said they left the APC due to lack of internal democracy and the grand manipulations of the party by some cabal who do not mean well for the Idoma nation.
Addressing the mammoth crowd in Orokam, the home country of the APC candidate Daniel Onjeh, Young Alhaji restated his position that his support for David Mark in the rerun is aimed at preserving Idomas’ identity and pride, promising that he would sponsor a week-long celebration at his Otukpo residence when Mark wins on Saturday.
The Orokam born philantropist also used the forum to warn those foreigners who are being imported into Ogbadibo local government area of Benue State for illegal assignments during the Saturday’s poll to steer clear from the area.
“Those already imported into the local government should vacate the community. Anyone who insists on staying to carry out any illegal assignment during the election will not report back to whoever may have sponsored him to the area”, Alhaji warned.
Also speaking, former Nigerian Ambassador to Switzerland, Amb. Dr. Ogbeh Obande said the entire Orokam community is grateful to Senator Mark for influencing appointments of Orokam indegens into key positions which include but not limited to, Ministerial, Ambassadorial and Board Chairmanship at the Federal level.
Former Council Chairman, Hon. Ijiga Okoh who spoke on behalf of Owukpa people and Hon. Matthew Ochigbo from Otukpa said there was no doubt about delivering Ogbadibo Local Government Area for Senator Mark on Saturday.
In their separate remarks, former State chairman of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Engr. John Enemari and Hon. Chris Adaba Abbah all canvassed for Senator David Mark and pledged, bloc votes for the Okpokpowulu k’Idoma on Saturday.
Responding, former Minister of Interior and Director General of Senator Mark campaign organization, Comrade Abba Moro said he was overwhelmed by the large turn out in the home of Mark’s opponent and charged them to remain committed to their promise of delivering the former Senate President at the poll.
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