Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, has welcomed his counterparts in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-East to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
This follows the alleged defection of Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, to the ruling party.
The Ebonyi governor reportedly informed the PDP national executive committee of his intention to join the APC.
The PDP will hold an emergency NEC meeting on the matter on Thursday.
Uzodinma, who disclosed this to journalists at the end of a closed-door meeting with the Chairman of the APC National Caretaker Committee, Mai Mala Buni, and other members of the committee, at the APC National Secretariat Abuja, on Monday, said he was at the party secretariat to contribute his quota to the party’s strategy for the December 5 Senatorial bye-election.
“If you recall when I addressed you here a couple of months ago, I told you that the moment I resumed office in Imo State as the governor that the impression and the perception of our party in South-East will change and the resultant effect will be that more credible individuals and governors will even join the party,” he said.
“Today I am being vindicated because we are hearing it and I’m sure a few hours from now we get a confirmation that one of our best will be joining the party and (he) is the Governor of Ebonyi State. Of course, I will be very glad and it will be my joy to welcome a governor and more governors, not only him, we are still talking more governors to join.
“APC is the ruling party and for the interest of national integration and cohesion, Imo and South-East, indeed, need to become part and parcel of the ruling party to make the Nigerian project a complete project.
“I’m at the headquarters of our great party to meet with the critical stakeholders and officers of our party on the status and going on of events in our great party and I had a private audience with the National Chairman and some members of the NWC (Caretaker) and also to be able to touch base with our preparedness for the upcoming bye-election.
“Of course, you know any moment from now there will be a Senatorial bye-election in Imo State, Imo North Senatorial District and I think our party is prepared, in Imo too we are prepared. APC is the party to beat in Imo State.”
