By: Felix Ikpotor
The Chief Tony Okocha-led Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State has continued to receive more defectors into the party.
Thius even as three House of Assembly candidates of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 general election in Rivers State, have formally defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Also, 10 ward chairmen of the SDP in Obio/Akpor local government area of the state and hundreds of their supporters have also joined the APC.
The assembly candidates who defected are Chief Chikwe Orlu (Obio/Akpor Constituency 11); Bright Amadi (Obio/Akpor Constituency 1); and Augustus Mgbo-Awaji (Andoni Constituency).
Receiving the defectors at the APC secretariat in Port Harcourt, Chief Tony Okocha, said the party is a united family.
He expressed the hope that the decampees will bring value into the APC in the state, pointing out that there was no negative pressure on the former SDP members to join the APC.
He assured them of equal opportunity in the party and promised to work assiduously with them and other members of the Party to ensure that APC takes over the government of Rivers State come 2027.
He said: “My business is to receive formally, our brothers who have come conscientiously. They have come on their own without any duress, without any negative pressure from anywhere. My business is to welcome you with your positive energy.
“I would say to you that what you have done here today is actually not new in the history of politics and politicking. I say so because, I have noticed and I have seen and we are hearing about a people who want to enter a house that the door is open and they want to enter through the window.
“We have decided that anybody who wants to enter a house that the doors are open, cannot be a good visitor. I will not have any iota of resistance to receive you into the APC family. I am aware that you bring value and you have already started to show that you will bring value to the system.
“The APC that I lead in consent with my colleagues here, we work in unison; we are a family and because we are a family, we have also told ourselves that our business will be to build a robust APC in Rivers State. There will be no factions, no factionalism and no factionalisation. All of us are one; APC is one.”
Earlier, the leader of the defectors, Chief Chikwe Orlu said the exceptional leadership style as well as the open door policy of Chief Tony Okocha endeared them to return back to the APC and assist in rebuilding the party.
He pledged their total support to the leadership and Chairmanship of Chief Tony Okocha.
