‘Your reason for rejoining PDP untenable,’ APC lashes Anambra lawmaker

All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State has lashed out at a member of the state House of Assembly, Hon Onyebuchi Offor, for rejoining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Hon. Offor, a lawmaker representing Ekwusigo State Constituency in the Anambra House of Assembly,  was the Minority Leader of the House under the PDP, but defected to the APC on October 6, shortly before the just-concluded governorship election in the state.

However, he announced his return to PDP at plenary in Awka, last Thursday, saying he took the decision ‘after wide consultations.’

“Two months ago, I announced my defection from PDP to APC on the floor of this House. I have tested the waters and realised that my former party PDP is better.

“So, I want to humbly inform this House that I’m going back to my party, the PDP,” he said.

However, reacting to the defection by Offor, the Anambra Chapter of the APC accused the lawmaker of

Joining the party to ‘to rip off its long-standing members’ adding that further that ‘it was not Offor’s first time behaving in the manner.’

In a press statement, Publicity Secretary of APC in Anambra State, Mr Okeluo Madukaife accused Offor of also making away with millions meant for the governorship campaign of the APC, and shortchanging members of the party, adding that the reason for his return to PDP was not acceptable.

“The reasons proffered by Orifite-born Hon. Onyebuchi Offor, and member representing Ekwusigo State Constituency of Anambra State for ‘returning to PDP’ is untenable.

“The unassailable truth is that whatever the outcome of 2021 Governorship Election, APC is the most organized, stable, and reputable party in Anambra State and is today the only opposition party in the state, which Anambra-wide followership is entrenched.

“Our party will do better when distractions like Offor, wearing the tag of ‘honourable’, like a meal ticket, even in the most dishonorable conduct learn to stay one course.

“Hon. Offor is not announcing his entry into APC for the first time. In 2017, the last governorship election year before this year, Hon. Offor announced his entry in support of Ifeanyi Ubah upon the entry of the later into APC to vie for the governorship ticket.

“He equally left when Ubah failed to get that in the typical manner of a political prostitute.

“The regret is that apart from prostituting, Hon. Offor ought to have shared the goal of this year’s prostitution parade which was to storm our unsuspecting campaign (not even party), displace our committed members who could have been more useful in the election and make away with funds running into hundreds of millions of Naira.

“We recommend to the people of Ekwusigo to do something to stop Hon. Offor from leaning on anybody to once again rig his way to Anambra State House of Assembly, where consistently, he has traded to prevent Ekwusigo LG from electing their government, while pretending to be for the opposition,” the release read.

It would be recalled that welcoming Hon. Offor back to the PDP during last Thursday’s plenary, the member representing Idemili-South Constituency, Chuka Ezewunne, said: “As a founding member of PDP, I know Mr Offor well and he is a good friend too, though temptation drew him to APC.

“We are happy to welcome him back to PDP and we urge other members to come back home,” he said.

Also speaking, Noble Igwe, representing Ogbaru I Constituency, said “PDP would have won the just concluded governorship election in the state, if Offor had not defected to APC.

“Your defection to APC was a big blow to the PDP in Anambra. If you have not defected, PDP would have won the governorship election.

“But we welcome you back to PDP where you rightly belong,” he said.

In the same vein at the plenary, Deputy Majority Leader, Emeka Aforka, representing Orumba North constituency, urged lawmakers who defected from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), to come back to the party.

“APGA is the winning party in Anambra and home to all. I urge honourable members who left APGA to emulate Offor and come back home,” Aforka said.

Speaker of the Assembly, Uche Okafor, who said it was the constitutional right of the lawmaker to defect from one political party to another, wished Mr Offor well in his political career.