AT least 400 members of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Omagwa, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Saturday defected to the Peoples Democratic Party.
Receiving the new members of the PDP, the state chairman of the party, Mr. Felix Obuah, urged them to embrace the political party.
The reception for those who defected to the party coincided with the state PDP’s empowerment of 80 party faithful with tricycles, sewing machines and other items.
Obuah, who was represented at the occasion by the state secretary of the PDP, Chief Ibibia Walter, urged the defectors to be disciplined.
He promised that the PDP would accommodate them, but added that the newcomers must shun unwholesome behaviour that could affect the party.
According to Obuah, “Today, you are admitted, not to come to make trouble because the APC is a troublesome party.
“Since you have dropped the broom, this umbrella will give you protection and peace. The PDP will not tolerate undisciplined attitude. You have come, don’t exhibit undisciplined character.”
He, however, promised that the state PDP would present a level-headed person as its candidate for the 2015 governorship election.
Also, the Assistant Publicity Secretary of the state PDP, Hon. Samuel Nwanosike, said the empowerment of the PDP faithful in the area was part of the party’s kind gestures to the grassroots.
Nwanosike, who is also the Secretary General of the Grassroot Development Initiative, GDI, promised that the needs of the people at the grass roots would be addressed.
He pointed out that the exercise aimed at empowering members of the party was in batches, maintaining that another group of persons would soon benefit from the programme.
“The gesture is our little way of thanking Omagwa Ward 9 for their support. It is to show the less-privileged that there is hope of opportunity for the future.
“This empowerment will continue. There is another phase that will come up. We wanted to control the crowd,” Nwanosike said.
