Mr Ikenga Ugochinyere, the lawmaker representing Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo, on Wednesday, formally dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Action Peoples Party (APP).
Ugochinyere told a large crowd of his supporters at a rally in Akokwa, Ideato South LGA, that “irreconcilable differences” within the national leadership of his former party led to his defection.
“From day one we started with PDP until this afternoon, we are still in court,” he said.
He claimed his troubles began when PDP disqualified him from the primary election and later sought a court order to declare his seat vacant.
He alleged that the party failed to support him during “periods of intense political hostility and physical attacks on his property.
“Our party never gave us support, not even a statement,” he said, adding that his billboards were destroyed and supporters arrested.
The lawmaker said he survived assassination attempts and faced 28 “trump-up charges”, intended to derail his legislative career.
“In spite of evidence provided to security agencies on the Jan. 13, 2023 attack and destruction of my property, nothing has been done to prosecute the perpetrators.
“We have faced both internal and external enemies,” he said.
Ugochinyere vowed to seek international intervention regarding alleged atrocities and human rights abuses recorded within the state.
He said that PDP failed to listen to warnings regarding internal dangers, leading to his exit to a “stable platform”.
“There’s no other stable platform in Nigeria today, except the APP,” Ugochinyere said.
He described APP as a “party that rewards hard work with electoral victory and defends the sanctity of the ballot box at all cost”.
Meanwhile, the lawmaker has issued a stern warning to the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, to stop “talking down” on the President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, describing the action as a “red line.
“I urge President Bola Tinubu to call Wike to order,” he said, citing the need for political decorum.
Speaking on the development in Venezuela, he expressed support for international intervention in countries where democracy was under threat.
He, therefore, urged the Inspector-General of Police and other security chiefs to turn their attention to Imo over the allegations of political hostility and physical attacks on him and his supporters.
Earlier, the APP Governorship Aspirant in the state, Mr Chima Amadi, praised Ugochinyere’s courage, describing the rally as a stand against “political oppression and tyranny”.
Amadi urged residents to participate in the continuous voter registration to help the party “regain the state” from the ruling government
Also speaking, a PDP Board of Trustees member, Mr Rufus Omeire, said he attended the rally in solidarity with Ikenga.
Omeire called on opposition political parties to unite against the ruling All Progressive
s Congress in the state.
