Ex-Gov Ikpeazu’s Spokesman Quits PDP, Mulls Joining APC Over Benjamin Kalu’s Feats

Barr. Onyebuchi Ememanka, the Chief Press Secretary to former Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, has resigned his membership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

In his letter of resignation, addressed to the party and shared on his social media handles o. Thursday, Ememanka said the decision was driven by the unresolved internal crisis within the PDP and the gale of defections hitting the opposition party.

On his next move, although he stated that he was still consulting, however, he hinted at joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as he’s in awe of and impressed by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu’s deft and smooth political moves.

The post titled, “GOODBYE, PDP!”, read in parts: “A while ago, I submitted my letter of resignation of my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Chairman of the party in my Amasato Ward 3, Osisioma Ngwa LGA, my dear brother, Chief Chiemela Ufomba. The decision, though painful, had become inevitable. It is a decision I took after very deep personal reflection and in consultation with my family. After the 2023 election which we lost, my thinking was that the party will go into a review of the factors that led to the loss and restrategize for the future. Personally, I girded my loins and prepared for life in the opposition. In my view, it would also be nice to know how it felt being outside of government and play the opposition, which is a critical role in a democracy. I willingly transmuted from Chief Press Secretary to the Governor to Spokesman to the immediate Past Governor, an assignment I accepted to perform, PRO BONO!

“I and other committed members of the party, especially in the media, took up the very difficult assignment of engaging the new administration of Dr Alex Otti. We mounted a robust defence of our administration and our Principal against the rampaging onslaught of a government that enjoyed massive public support. However, to my shock, the reorganization I looked forward to never happened. Rather, what I saw was a deliberate and consistent exodus of key members of the party into other parties. As someone who is fairly new in the political system, I tried to understand the rationale behind this persistent and large scale human resources hemorrhage but the more I sought for answers, the more the hemorrhage continued.

“The most startling aspect was that people who since 1999 have benefited massively from the party, riding on her platform to different public offices back to back, between 1999 and 2023 were the first to leave. It was a very unfortunate situation indeed. But I chose to stay. Its been two years now and people are still leaving the party. Elected public office holders who rode on the back of the party to electoral victory are leaving in droves. Sadly, this is beyond Abia State.This situation prompted me to ask myself a question…Am I Jesus Christ? Who bears the sins of the whole world? Mbu Jesus, Okpara Chineke, onye na ebupu mmehie nke uwa? I answered that question in Olokoro Umuahia tongue… ODUGHU PLEASE!

“As a young man, I still have a lot of fire in my bones. I still have a lot to offer our people. I want to be in politics and public service and I am fully entitled to my dreams and aspirations. But it is one thing to have a vision and another to bring it to fruition. You need a viable platform to achieve that dream. This is the truth. Remaining in the PDP will make that plan a mirage, at least, in the immediate future. Consequently, I have chosen to leave. I do so with deep gratitude to the PDP for the opportunities I got. I also served the party with undiluted dedication. I will always remember this party with a lot of fondness.

“So where am I going? Honestly, I haven’t decided. I am still consulting. It’s a very complex situation and one that I have never been in before. But I have to decide, and quickly too. In the recent past, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu has been impressing me with his deft and smooth political moves. Fingers crossed! So, there you have it, my people!”