IFEANYI EZUGWU, ENUGU.
A philanthropist and prominent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Enugu State, Dr. Sam Onyishi has decamped to leading opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Onyishi who is the Managing Director of Peace Mass Transit Limited, was welcomed into the APC fold at a meeting of stakeholders of the party, held on Sunday in Enugu.
Although the meeting was held behind closed doors, an insider source disclosed to journalists that Dr Onyishi used the opportunity to declare his interest to vie for the governorship of Enugu State in 2015 on APC platform.
When contacted, National Welfare Officer of APC, Emma Eneukwu who presided over the meeting, confirmed that Onyishi has joined the party.
“We have welcomed him to our fold. He went to a party he felt will serve his purpose better. May be he felt that PDP is being run like a cartel and decided to look for a better platform” Eneukwu who was the spokesman of defunct All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) said.
Commenting on the development, spokesman of APC in the South-East, Osita Okechukwu said the dumping of PDP by Onyishi was a clear signal that PDP was on the decline in the state.
According to Okechukwu, as a patriot and man of the people, Sam having read the APC manifesto appreciated the difference between its progressive philosophy and the conservative philosophy of the PDP.
“Naturally, APC is the home of all social democrats and humanists like Sam. He is welcomed in our fold and luckily coming from Nsukka zone, our great party after wide consultation may make him the consensus candidate” he said.
Other notable APC chieftains who received Onyishi at the meeting include Peter Okonkwo, Okechukwu Ezea and Valentine Nnaedozie.
Ezea who spoke with our correspondent on telephone, described Onyishi’s decision to pitch tent with APC as a welcome development, adding that he was happy that other people are now seeing what they have been saying that PDP does not guarantee everybody a level playing ground.
