Several political stakeholders and their supporters from the African Democratic Congress, ADC, All Progressives Congress, APC, and Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.
The development was announced by Rt. Hon. George Alli, a Senior Legislative Aide.
The defectors include Hon. Adoga Edache, popularly known as Ebo, from the ADC; former Otukpo Local Government Council Chairman, Hon. Inalegwu Adakonye, from the APC; and Mr Emmanuel Akoche of the Zenith Labour Party.
Others are Mr Garuba Sule of the APC in Ugboju Icho and Mr John Ojonye, Chairman of the ADC in Ugboju Ehaji Ward, alongside several other party members and their supporters.
The new PDP members reportedly attributed their decision to join the party to its leadership, people-oriented ideology and what they described as its prospects ahead of the forthcoming elections.
Receiving the defectors were the PDP Deputy Governorship Candidate, Dr Oyije Ochaeikiti; the Otukpo Local Government Party Chairman, Hon. Godwin Ochapa; the party's House of Assembly candidate for Otukpo/Akpa, Hon. Johnson Egli; and its candidate for Adoka/Ugboju, Hon. Gabriel Olofu.
Also present was Rt. Hon. George Alli.
Speaking on behalf of the party, Ochaeikiti welcomed the new members and assured them of equal opportunities and full integration into the party's activities.
He described their defection as evidence of the PDP's growing acceptance across Benue South.
The defectors pledged their loyalty to the PDP and promised to work towards the party's success at all levels.
ADC chairman, ex-council chairman, many others join PDP in Benue South