Don’t Join All Progressives Congress For Election Sake, Ebonyi Chair Tells Defectors

The Ebonyi State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, has cautioned those joining the ruling party with the sole intention of contesting the 2027 general election to desist.

Emegha made the disclosure yesterday while receiving a support group, APC Marshal Movement, at the party’s secretariat in Abakaliki, the state capital.

He said, “If you are joining APC and forming different political groups for the purpose of using that as an avenue to contest for political positions, it may not work because there are others in the party before you joined. I advise you to work sincerely for the party and wait for your reward in due time.”

Emegha revealed that the member representing Afikpo/Edda Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Iduma Igariwey has finalised plans to join the ruling All Progressives Congress APC.

He also disclosed that the third-term federal legislator has resigned from his former party, the Peoples Democratic party (PDP), in preparation to join APC.

Igariwey, a former chairman of Afikpo North Local Government Area was first elected into the House of Representatives in 2015 under the platform of the PDP.

He was subsequently re- elected in 2019 and 2023 under the same platform.

Widely respected for his grassroot political relevance, Igariwey’s expected defection signals total collapse of the opposition in Ebonyi State.

Igariwey’s defection is coming weeks after the member representing Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency, Nkemkama Kama, joined APC from Labour party.

The APC chairman was also excited with the recent defection of the member representing Onicha West in Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon. Charles Onu, to the APC, attributing the mass defection to the ruling party to the developmental strides of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru.

“APC will soon receive Hon. Idu Igariwey. He has resigned from PDP in preparation to join our party. Also, the member representing Onicha West in Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon. Charles Onu, has also resigned from PDP and joined APC. These defections are because of the good works the Governor has been doing in the state.”

He commended the group for coming to identify with the party, and enjoined them l to work sincerely for APC, warning that the party would be unwilling to tolerate any act of sabotage.

Founder of the group and national coordinator, Dr. Odinakachukwu Agada, who was a member of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), said the group was formed primarily to work for the re-election of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, and for the promotion of APC nationwide.

The group was led to the APC Secretariat by the chairman of Ebonyi Elders Council, Chief Ben Okah.