The electoral fortunes of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Abia State in 2023 may have suffered a major setback following mass defection that hit the party on Saturday as the Young Progressive Party, YPP, formally unveiled its candidates in the state for the 2023 polls.
A number of PDP faithful including serving Council Chairman, tens of Councilors, Special Advisers to the Governor and numerous others dumped the PDP for YPP.
Leading the crowd of defectors was the Chairman of Obingwa Local Government Area, Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu’s home LGA, Hon. Ibe Nwoke (Abidabi).
Nwoke who was elected Council boss under the platform of the PDP is YPP’s flag bearer for Obingwa/Osisioma/Ugwunagbo federal Constituency.
He said time had come for youths to be given the opportunity to reposition the state.
Other decampees were former Special Adviser to the Governor on Small and Medium Enterprise, Lady Sarah Ogwudire; former PDP legal Adviser in Osisioma LGA, Emmanuel Enyinnaya among many Councilors in Osisioma, Aba North and South as well as Ugwunagbo LGAs.
Former members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, were among the decampees.
Former PDP chieftain and Pioneer Director General of the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, Chief Chuku Wachuku was among those who received the party’s flag for Abia Central senatorial race.
Nwachukwu who said time had come for the old generation to give way for the younger generation vowed to help in transmitting power to the youths.
He said that a lot of youths were jobless because those in power lack the ideas and will power to create the necessary opportunities to positively engage the youths.
Addressing the mamoth crowd , YPP governorship candidate, Enyinnaya Nwafor, said he would wipe away the tears of Abians if voted into power.
He promised not to let the people down, saying that it took him seven years to prepare for the governorship.
The son of the former Abia Deputy Governor promised that Abia would witness infrastructural revolution and massive development under his watch.
”Something new will happen to Abia in 2023. We are coming to restore the dignity and hope of humanity in Abia. We will wipe away the tears of Ndi Abia.
” Go home and rejoice, hope has come to Abia. Go home and celebrate because liberation has come. Nobody anointed me, I have no excess luggage. We have come to work for Abia’.
Speaking earlier, his running mate, Chima Anyaso, who was a former governorship aspirant in the PDP, said it was time for the youths to take over the state.
Anyaso who alleged that the PDP betrayed them said YPP had come to liberate the state.
In a remark, the National Chairman of YPP, Comrade Bishop Amakiri described the party’s candidates in the state as the winning team, urging Abians to vote for them.
He later handed over the party’s flag to the candidates.
The state Chairman of the party, Hon. Chimex Uluocha, in a remark, said that Abians were tired of living in bondage, assuring that YPP would usher in the desired change.
He decried the state of infrastructure in the state but assured that under YPP, Abia would become a pacesetter state in 2023.