By Titus Atondu, Makurdi
A Former strong Senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for Benue North East, in the 2019 general election, Chief Mimi Adzape-Orubibi has formally left APC and rejoined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with her thousands of supporters in Benue.
Governor Samuel Ortom performed the decamping ceremony over the weekend at the premises of Adikpo Comprehensive College, explaining that they have made a wise decision by dumping a party that is “against justice, equity and fairness.”
He said that the APC-led Government has also failed the country in all ramifications as manifested in the country’s poor economy and insecurity, which are diametric to the promises made in 2015 during electioneering campaign, which, in his opinion, are enough reasons for the people to vote the party out of power in 2023.
He further explained that rather than handle the Boko Haram menace which was the only security challenge of the country at the time, “the APC Government took over power, the situation has multiplied to armed herdsmen attacks, banditry and kidnapping.”
The Governor stated particularly that the people of Kwande have no business being in the APC because the one Federal Project, a polytechnic which was approved to be sited in the area was taken away by the leader of the party in the state.
Senator representing North East, Dr Gabriel Suswam said the coming of Mrs Adzape-Orubibi into PDP has brightened the chances of the party while the state PDP Chairman, Sir John Ngbede assured the defectors of equal opportunities.
Nigerian NewDirect reports that others who spoke including, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees, Mrs. Margaret Icheen, house of representatives member for Kwande Ushongo, Mr. Bob Tyough and Assembly for Kwande West, Tertsea Gbishe all said with the defection of Mrs Orubibi, APC is dead in Kwande.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors which included former APC chairman for Kwande, Mr. Iorfa Dzoho, Mrs Orubibi attributed her decision to dump the APC to the inability of the government in power to address the economic and security challenges of the country.
The Chief defector also maintained that her resolve to join the PDP was to team up with the Governor Samuel Ortom-led government that gave her the opportunity to serve Benue State as the the Chairman Benue State Internal Revenue Services (BIRS ).