A former People’s Democratic Party’s lawmaker represented Enugu North senatorial district, Chukwuka Utazi, says he defected to the All Progressives Congress to achieve Igbo presidency.
Utazi, a hitherto prominent member of the PDP from Southeast region, resigned his membership from the party in October, last year.
Mr Utazi, who was a member of the 9th Senate officially joined the APC during a meeting of the party leaders in Enugu on Saturday, explaining that ideals that attracted him to his former party have since receded into oblivion.
The former senator defected to the APC alongside other politicians from other political parties, including a 2023 governorship aspirant of the Labour Party (LP) in Enugu State, Dave Nnamani and a former Nigeria’s minister of Aviation, Fidelia Njeze.
The senatorial candidate of the African Democratic Congress for Enugu North District, Chuka Idoko, his All Progressives Grand Alliance counterpart for the same district, Jonathan Eze and an entrepreneur, Goddy Jinegwo, equally defected to the APC.
The chairperson of the APC in the state, Ugochukwu Agballah, received the defectors to the party, with other top leaders of the APC in attendance.
Speaking shortly after joining the APC, Mr Utazi said he was joining the party to realise Igbo presidency ambition.
“Today is a special day in my political career. As a national politician, I want to join politics at the centre. What we are doing in Enugu cannot take Enugu anywhere. I resigned from PDP. Nothing is coming to Enugu. If you are not at the centre, you are failing,” he said.
“The only way to get Igbo presidency is to serve as a servant at the APC. I want to serve in the party. APC is the only way to join the mainstream nationally. We will ensure that (other PDP) members join the party (APC). With the party discipline, we will go far,” the former senator stated.
While receiving the defectors into the APC, the Deputy National Chairperson, South, of the party, Emma Eneukwu, said with the calibre of persons who joined the APC, the party is now in good stead to win elections in the state and pursue Igbo presidency.
“It is a new beginning for the party in 2027. We need more people (from the PDP). The South-east must take their place in Nigeria. Igbo presidency is long overdue,” he said.
