Two Young Progressive Party members from the Abia State House of Assembly have defected to the ruling Labour Party.
Iheanacho Nwogu, representing Osisioma North State Constituency, and Fine Ahuama, representing Osisioma South State Constituency, stated that abandoning their former party will allow them to work with Governor Alex Otti to develop democracy at the grassroots for the benefit of their constituents.
Announcing their defection in two separate letters to the Speaker, Emmanuel Emeruwa, on Tuesday, the two members said they were expelled from YPP for anti-party activities owing to their support for the present administration in the state.
They pledged to be loyal party men in their newfound shelter.
Nwogu and Ahuama later visited Governor Otti at the Presidential Lodge at the Government House, Umuahia.
They were led on the visit by the House Majority Leader, Uchenna Okoro, representing Arochukwu State Constituency, on the platform of the Labour Party.
Receiving the new entrants into the Labour Party, Otti said that the two former members of YPP had always supported his administration right from inception, not minding their political affiliation.
The governor noted that his administration has a different approach to governance, anchored on transparency, service and merit, as evident in the confirmation of a non-Abian as a Permanent Secretary in the Abia State Civil Service.
He assured the new members of equal opportunity with old party members.
“One thing that I have assured members of the House of Assembly, is that because we are running a transparent kind of leadership, we will never come to you with anything untoward. We don’t have anything to hide because we are working for our people.
“Like I told them in Rivers State (where he commissioned a road project), when you are governing people and they’re not happy there’s something wrong with the leadership. This is because the essence of governance is stewardship, and I am happy because my people are happy,” Otti said.
“Our party has something peculiar, there’s nothing different between the old and new members, you are going to enjoy the privilege every member is enjoying. The Labour Party provides a level playing field for everybody, so you’ve come to the right place,” Governor Otti assured them.
He congratulated them for the bold step taken, adding that he looks forward to receiving the governorship candidate of the YPP, Chief Enyinnaya Nwafor, soon.
Earlier, while presenting the two members to the governor, the leader of the House, Uchenna Okoro, said the two former YPP lawmakers had earlier during plenary announced their defection to the Labour Party on account of the service-oriented leadership style of Governor Otti.
Governor Otti was joined by some members of his cabinet, including the Chief of Staff, Dr Caleb Ajagba; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Sir Uzor Nwachukwu; Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu; and Special Adviser on Monitoring and Evaluation, Mazi Ugochukwu Okoroafor, to receive the House members.