The immediate past speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Chinedum Orji, has defected from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Orji, a two-term member of the House, announced this at the APC state secretariat in Umuahia, the state capital, yesterday, saying it feels good to belong to the ruling party in the country.
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The defection of the son of the erstwhile governor of the state, Theodore Orji, came along with many others that have been rocking the former governing PDP in the state this week.
After he was received by the APC state chairman, Kingsley Ononogbu, the former speaker expressed delight over his acceptance into the APC, describing it as a testament to its broad-mindedness. “I came to do the needful formerly by passing through the state chairman,” said Orji, who was accompanied by the former administrative secretary of the PDP in the state, Uzorma Ugele, among others.
He said, as a party man, he would submit himself to go through the process of registration from the ward through local government levels and follow it up with meetings with state leaders of the APC.
“I didn’t come to struggle for leadership of the APC in the state, but to serve. I will queue behind the chairman and the leader to ensure that the APC remains strong and formidable.
“After having been formally welcomed into the fold, my next move will be to create awareness on the need for our people to throw their weight solidly behind President Bola Tinubu to move the country ahead,” he said.
The former speaker expressed appreciation to his Ward 1 chairman, Nath Okoro, and his local government counterpart, Ifeanyi Ekwuribe, for accompanying him to the secretariat.
Earlier, after receiving and handing over a bunch of broom, which is the symbol of the APC, to Orji, Ononogbu congratulated and lauded him for the bold step.
He underscored the need for him to encourage and bring in more quality members and the need for him to work according to the guidelines of the APC.
Other APC state officers, who appreciated and welcomed the former speaker were the secretary, Chidi Avaja, and the assistant organising secretary, Nnadozie Uruakpa.