Ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra state, the state’s Deputy Governor, Dr. Nkem Okeke, has defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
President Muhammadu Buhari received the deputy governor on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
Okeke was led to the President by the APC Caretaker Committee Chairman and Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma.
Governor Uzodinma, who presented the new APC member to the President, briefed State House correspondents at the end of the meeting.
He expressed confidence that there will be more defections to the ruling party before the November 6 governorship election to be conducted by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in Anambra State.
The governor, however, punctured Governor Willi Obiano’s claims that members of Anambra State House of Assembly who defected from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) were financially induced to join the ruling party.
He added that rather than enticing the lawmakers with money, they were lobbied through persuasion and counselling.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the APC has inaugurated the party’s State Congress Committee chairmen and secretaries.
APC Caretaker Committee Secretary, Senator John Apkanudoedehe, who inaugurated the officials at the party’s secretariat in Abuja urged them to sustain the gains already made by the party’s leadership.
He also appealed to the newly inaugurated party officials to work hard and prevent disagreements that could affect the party’s fortunes in 2023.
Apkanudoedehe lauded the Senate for approving electronic transmission of election results for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
