…His Departure Has No Political Disadvantage – PDP
The former member representing Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency in the
House of Representatives, Hon. Greg Egu, has given reasons for joining the All Progressive
Congress, APC.
Egu,
who formally announced his decision to join the APC at a press conference in
his house in Umohiagu, Ngor Okpala LGA of Imo State, accused the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of failing to measure
up to the expectation of Nigerians for 16 years running.
He added
that he decided to join the APC with his “numerous admirers, followers, supporters
and some key officers of the PDP in Ngor Okpala because, according to him, the
PDP had marginalized his people.
Egu explained
that since 1999, the PDP had never considered allowing any Ngor Okpala indigene
sail through in the governorship, senatorial and House of Representatives
elections, even when they had always contested for such positions.
He added
that ministerial and choice federal board appointments had been denied them.
But in
a swift reaction, the state publicity secretary of the PDP, Chief Enyinna
Onuegbu said Egu’s departure would have no political disadvantage to the party
and that his politics was dependent on the political barometer of former Nigeria’s
vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
In a
telephone chat with our correspondent, Onuegbu said that the PDP never saw the
presence of Chief Egu in any of the Party’s meetings or activities since more
than one year and that such a person could not be said to be said to be leaving
the PDP, because he had never won any election for the party.
On the
reasons adduced by the former lawmaker that Ngor Okpala was being marginalized by
the PDP, the publicity secretary accused Egu of trying to turn the truth on its
head
According
to him, Chief Emma Nworgu was currently serving as the Imo State representative
in the National Population Commission, NPC; Dr. Sam Amadi is also the chairman
of the National Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC; Hon. Bede Eke is in
the board of the Anambra – Imo River Basin Authority, while Chris Obodo, Dr.
Austin Uganwa and Barr. Kingsley Uzoemechi are all special advisers to the
deputy speaker of the House of Representatives.
He added
that the federal government had been so kind to the people of Ngor Okpala with
a power injection substation at Umuneke, and a lot of quality roads which
included the Okpala – Igwuruta (Rivers State) road.
At the
state level, Onuegbu said Egu was the greatest beneficiary of the Ikedi Ohakim –
led PDP government, as according to him, Egu’s wife served as the special
adviser to then governor from 2007 to 2011.
“So,
all these people I mentioned, are they not from Ngor Okpala? I know the people
of Ngor Okpala need more but that is not to say that we are being marginalized
by the PDP”.
He said
the departure of Egu from the PDP had been eclipsed by the return of Col. Lambert
Iheanacho, Okenze Obinna and a former commissioner – all from Ngor Okpala to
the party.