Massive defection on Saturday, hit the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue State as a former senatorial candidate of the party for Benue North West senatorial district, Mrs. Mimi Adzape-Orubibi, led thousands of party supporters from Kwande and Ushongo local government areas into the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP.
The gale of defection also swept away Mr. Iorfa Dzoho, Chairman of the APC in Kwande local government area until last week when he resigned and also crossed over to the PDP on Saturday with his supporters.
Receiving the defectors at Adikpo Comprehensive College in Kwande, Governor Samuel Ortom said they made a wise decision by dumping the APC which he staid, was against justice, equity and fairness.
Ortom pointed out that the APC led-government has also failed to deliver on the economy and security which it promised Nigerians in 2019, saying it was enough reason for the people to vote the out of power in 2023.
He noted that the present administration at the national level had failed to tackle the Boko Haram menace which was the only security challenge in the country at the time the APC took over power, but the situation has metamorphosed to armed herdsmen attacks, banditry and kidnapping.
The governor said Kwande people had no business being in the APC as the only Federal Government project, a polytechnic which was approved to be sited in the area was taken away by the leader of the party in the state.
In his remarks, the senator representing North East, Dr. Gabriel Suswam said the coming of Mrs. Adzape-Orubibi and thousands of her supporters into PDP has brightened the chances of the party.
He expressed optimism that the future of PDP in the zone would be brighter with persons like Orubibi on ground to strengthen the party and ensure its success in all elections come 2023.
Also speaking, the state PDP Chairman, Sir John Ngbede assured the defectors of equal opportunities and called on members to work towards the victory of the party in 2023.
Others who spoke at the event included, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees, Mrs. Margaret Icheen, House of Representatives member for Kwande/Ushongo constituency, Mr. Bob Tyough and the state House of Assembly member representing Kwande West, Tertsea Gbishe.
They were unanimous in their conviction that with the defection of Mrs. Orubibi to PDP, the APC was dead in Kwande local government area.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Adzape-Orubibi attributed her decision to dump the APC to the inability of the government at the centre which is controlled by the party to solve the economic and security challenges of the country.
Adzape-Orubibi, a former chairman of the state Board of Internal Revenue Service, BIRS also said her resolve to join the PDP was to enable her team up with Governor Ortom who gave her the opportunity to serve Benue as BIRS chairman, to develop the state.
