Governors Ben Ayade (Cross River), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) and Okezie Ikpeazu all of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have denied nursing plans to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
They said they would continue to remain loyal party members of the PDP, noting that it was laughable and unfortunate for anyone to make such insinuations.
Recall that APC National Vice-Chairman, North Central, Alhaji Suleiman Ahmed-Wambai, had on Thursday stated in Lafia during a party stakeholders meeting, that in the next three days, about three governors from the South-East would join the APC.
The three states in the South-East governed by PDP governors are Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu.
But, in their separate reactions, the governors dismissed the claim.
Umahi emphasized that he had no plan to dump the PDP. He described the rumour as unfortunate, saying it was the handwork of mischief makers.
Also, Ayade, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Ita, said his relationship with the President was purely on governance and not because he planned to join the APC.
He said, “There is absolutely no truth in it. It is the fertile imagination of the author of the report. The governor has a relationship with the President based on governance. There is need for us as a people to understand that governance is different from politics. Ayade is a committed PDP member.”
Meanwhile, in Enugu State, one of the officials close to the governor confided in our correspondent that there was no truth in reports that Ugwuanyi was dumping the PDP for APC.
The official said, “People are leaving the APC, so it is understandable that claims like this would be made to score cheap political points.”
Efforts to get the governor, the Commissioner for Information or the APC chairman in the state were not successful as at the time of filing this report.
However, the state publicity secretary of the APC, Mrs. Kate Offor, said, “We are not aware that Governor Ugwuanyi is planning to join us; we don’t know anything about it.”
END
