PDP Receives APC Defectors, Insists Nigerians Have Rejected Opposition Party

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As the 2015 general election approaches, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said Nigerians have rejected the opposition political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said this yesterday when Hon. Charles Odedo who represents Idemili North/South Federal Constituency, Anambra State, in the National Assembly, announced his defection from the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to the PDP at the party's national secretariat.

Metuh charged the state chapter of the party to deliver 98 percent for President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015, insisting that the 11 federal constituencies and the three senatorial districts in the state must be won for PDP.

He further said: "From the groundswell of support received by the president on his war against terror and what is happening all over the country, it clearly shows that Nigerians have rejected APC.

"The Christians, Muslims, South, West, East and North have all rejected APC. The message is very loud and clear and it is good Nigerians discovered the stuff APC is made of as early as possible."

While pointing out that there would be no automatic ticket in the PDP primary, Metuh also urged Odedo to join in canvassing support for President Jonathan.

On his return, Metuh informed Odedo that he had the full blessing of the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu, and the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to welcome him back to PDP fold.

Earlier, the state PDP Chairman, Chief Ken Emeakayi, extolled the virtues of Odedo whom he said returned to PDP due to the good works that the party is doing and also as a result of the reconciliation efforts in PDP, which restored peace to the party in the state.

Emeakayi explained that Odedo was elected on the platform of PDP and disagreed with the merger that brought about the APC, which was part of his reasons for returning to his party.

He also said the lawmaker would present his letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives yesterday but decided to visit Metuh, as leader of PDP in the state to "take him back as your son.

"He left because of misunderstanding and is now back. He was a lost sheep and we have come to formally present him to you.”

Leader of the state PDP caucus in the House, Hon. Ben Nwankwo, who also spoke, explained that Odedo was a one of the founding members of the party in the state and an asset to the party.

Odedo also said it was the disagreement in PDP that made him decamped to the ACN in 2011 from where he re-contested for the House of Representatives and won.