The deputy governorship candidate of the Labor party, LP, in Benue State, Comrade David Ngbede, was among two thousand members of other parties including the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who dumped their parties for the All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday at separate rallies in Agatu, Apa, and Ohimini local government areas.
Speaking in Ugbokpo, Comrade Ngbede and former Chairman of Apa and Agatu council areas, Mr Ameh Udo who said he had been on sabbatical from politics in the last four years, stated that they took the decision to pitch tent with the APC in order to be part of the change movement sweeping across the country.
They also expressed confidence in the Ortom/Abounu governorship ticket saying it had the capacity and experience to propel the state forward.
The APC governorship candidate in the state, Chief Dr Samuel Ortom, informed the new members that the APC amended its constitution last October so as to put old and new members on the same page explaining that it was on that account that he joined the party and became its candidate within two days assuring that they had the same rights and privileges.
In Obagaji headquarters of Agatu, Chief Dr Ortom stated that if given the mandate the incoming APC administration at the state and federal levels would secure lives and property as well as provide critical infrastructure for the people.
He stated that the council area and Guma, his home local government, shared two striking similarities as areas that have suffered the greatest neglect from the PDP government resulting in massive casualties from herdsmen attacks and lacking tarred roads to their headquarters.
The former Minister of State, Industry, Trade, and Investment, said he and his running mate, Engr Benson Abounu, rose from humble beginnings, were acquainted with the suffering of the people and have acquired the requisite experience in both the private and public sectors that would enable them hit the ground running as soon as they were sworn-in.
In Ugbokpo, Apa local government area, he admonished APC supporters not to join issues with members of the PDP who he said were angered by signs of imminent defeat at the polls following mass departure of stalwarts from their party and influx into the APC to boost its fortunes.
He urged them not to be bothered by the destruction of his campaign materials but to rather obtain and secure their permanent voters cards with which they could effect change at the polls.
At Idekpa, headquarters of Ohimini, he lamented the diversion of public funds into private pockets resulting in government officials and their cronies feeding fat and building hotels and acquiring property while salaries and pensions remained unpaid pledging that his administration would be a major departure from that kind of situation.
He reiterated that he would think outside the box to find solutions to challenges of the state stressing that while he would add value on all sectors of the economy his priorities would remain industrialization, attraction of investment into the state, as well as boosting commercial and trading activities through small and medium scale enterprises.
According to him the major objective of government would be to create jobs and wealth.
The rallies marked the end of the APC campaign tour of the 23 local government areas of the state.
Signed :
Tahav Agerzua,
Media Adviser,
Ortom/Abounu Governorship Organization.