Ex-PDP Senator, LP Governorship Aspirant, and Others Make Defection Wave to APC in Enugu

Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator, Chukwuka Utazi, alongside other notable figures, has officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State. The announcement came during a gathering of APC leaders at the state secretariat in Enugu on Saturday.

Chukwuka Utazi, who previously represented Enugu North District in the 9th Senate under the PDP banner, cited a departure from the core principles that initially drew him to the PDP as the catalyst for his resignation. His decision to join the APC, he explained, stemmed from a desire to align with a party that aligns more closely with his vision for national development.

The reception of Utazi and others into the APC fold was overseen by the Chairperson of the APC in the state, Ugochukwu Agballah. Prominent APC figures such as the Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, and the Deputy National Chairperson South, Emma Eneukwu, were also present at the event, signifying the significance of the defection.

Joining Utazi in the defection wave were several other political figures, including Dave Nnamani, a former Labour Party (LP) governorship aspirant in the 2023 elections, and Fidelia Njeze, a former Minister of Aviation. Njeze, who had previously switched allegiance from the PDP to the LP, has now aligned herself with the APC.

Additionally, the ranks of the APC were bolstered by the defection of senatorial candidates from other parties, namely Chuka Idoko of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Jonathan Eze of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Entrepreneur Goddy Jinegwo also made the move to join the APC alongside his fellow defectors.

In a communiqué issued following the gathering, the leadership of the APC in Enugu State expressed readiness to embrace new members and extend reconciliation to those who had previously faced suspension or expulsion, provided they demonstrated genuine repentance.