From Okey Sampson, Aba
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Aba South chapter has urged the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Chikwendu Kanu to declare the seat of the member representing Aba South constituency, Emmanuel Ebere vacant for defecting to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
Ebere had on May 26, 2017, in a letter he addressed to the chairman of APGA, Ward 3, Aba South Local Government said: “I wish to formally notify you that I am resigning from my position as a member of APGA.
“I meticulously took this decision consequent upon the polarisation of the party caused by leadership tussle both at the national and state levels. At the national level, we have Chief Martin Agbaso’s faction and Victor Oye’s faction fighting for the control of the national office; while at the state level, we have the Rev Augustine Ehiemere’s faction and Chief Charley Nwayanwu’s faction at each other’s throat.”
Reacting to the development, Chairman of APGA in Aba South, Jude Eke said APGA’s demand for the seat of Ebere to be declared vacant was for the fact that he left the party on which he rode to the House, on the false reason that there was crisis in APGA.
Stating that there was no crisis in APGA, Eke said if there was crisis in any political party in Nigeria, it was the new party of Ebere, the PDP, which he stated necessitated people defecting from it to other parties.
“Unless there are other reasons he has not let the public to know, but if Ebere’s sole reason for defecting to PDP was that there was crisis in APGA, I think he is trying to deceive his constituents who sent him to the House because if there is any party that is riddled with crisis in Nigeria, it is his new party, the PDP.
“It is an irony that while people including some of the founding fathers of PDP are leaving it in their droves to other parties because of crisis that has bedevilled the party in the past two years, someone is leaving a peaceful party like APGA to a party people are running out from.”
Eke who advised politicians to always have conscience recalled that it was the same PDP the lawmaker had defected to that refused to give him ticket in 2015 to run for election, but was given the ticket on a platter when he joined APGA.
“I would like to recall that PDP denied him ticket in the last election and left him almost frustrated. APGA picked him, gave him free ticket and delivered him with Dr. Alex Otti’s influence and financial support.”
APGA which said it was not losing sleep over the lawmaker’s defection considering the fact it was yet to feel the impact of his representation, however stated it might be considering legal option if the Speaker of the House fail to declare Hon Ebere’s seat vacant.