By John Ituma (Ebonyi State Correspondent)
As home support for Senator Anyim Pius Anyim's Presidential aspiration in 2023 gathers strong momentum in Ebonyi State, leading stalwarts in the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state are defecting to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in apparent solidarity with Anyim.
A prominent member of the APC in Ebonyi State, Mrs. Martha Nwankwo, midweek, dumped the APC for PDP, giving reasons for her defection to her support for Senator Pius Anyim's presidential bid.
Nwankwo's defection is coming on the heels of a recent crossover from the APC to PDP by Chief Augustine Ede Eze, a major stakeholder of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People's Democratic Party (PDP), basing her decision on her resolve to back the presidential ambition of Senator Pius Anyim.
Ede Eze who is a Board of Trustees (BoT) member of the APC, announced his defection to the PDP, at an empowerment rally organised on Tuesday, December 28, 2021, by the former governor of Ebonyi state, Dr. Sam Egwu at Ohaukwu, in Ebonyi state. Dr. Egwu represents Ebonyi North Senatorial Zone at the Senate.
Ede Eze while declaring for PDP, said: "I can't seat on the fence watching a man who appears to be the only hope for the redemption of Nigeria labour alone. I want to be part of those who will help Anyim to rescue Nigeria", he declared.
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Describing Anyim as the best material ever to come from Ebonyi state, Ede Eze reasoned that "Nigeria will regain her unity and oneness once more if Anyim is given opportunity to rule Nigeria". He said, destiny had brought Anyim to play the same role in the Nigerian Senate in the past, same destiny, he stated, "I believe in throwing Anyim up once again, this time".
While announcing her own defection to the PDP from the APC on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, Mrs Nwankwo who is the National Chairperson of Governor David Umahi Empowerment Beneficiaries, made her defection declaration at the civic reception organised by PDP, Ohaozara local government council Area in honour of the newly elected state chairman of the party, Chief Tochukwu Okorie.
Mrs Nwankwo who was appointed the Coordinator, Ohaozara East Development Centre by the Ebonyi State governor, Engr. Dave Umahi, said she decided to abandon the APC because she has discovered that the "Messiah Nigeria has been waiting for is already here with us in PDP."
Nwankwo stated that the movement for Anyim Pius Anyim for Presidency under the auspices of PDP is infectious. According to her, "anyone who is still in APC and has not recognized the positive signs of God in the declaration of Anyim for Presidency is simply an incurable pessimist". Mrs Nwankwo also declared, "I m also leaving APC for PDP because of Anyim, the best personality ever emerged from Ebonyi".
Nwankwo who retired as a Head of Personel Management (HPM) and a Deputy Director, Administration and General Duties in the Ebonyi State Local Government Service Commission, however lamented the lack of promotions in the civil service system in the state.
According to her, "It's frustrating to continue to remain under a system that is shrouded in darkness. Anyim is like a light illuminating every where under PDP, especially in Ebonyi state".
Lamenting further, she said, "I'm tired of working for the APC government in Ebonyi only for some people to be feeding fat at the expense of others". Nwankwo promised to deploy her strategies for promoting APC in Ebonyi State to the advantage of the PDP.
According to her, she will mobilize the youths and women using the channel of Ebonyi state Federations of Women Entrepreneurs in which she is the Coordinator, to garner support for the PDP.
She however received the support of the PDP chairman in the state for all that she wants to do for the progress of PDP in Ebonyi state. NNL.
