By Jesovie Tekvwe
In less than three days to the 2023 gubernatorial and state assembly election across Nigeria, high level of defections have torn the PDP into shreds following the unavoided defection of Olorogun Friday Orugbo, Chairman of the PDP in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State.
Olorogun Friday Orugbo was until his defection was the chairman of Ward 3 in Udu and Chairman of all ward Chairmen in the area.
It would be recalled that former Sapele local government chairman and Delta State House of Assembly Member, Barr Ejaife Omizu Odebala joined the All Progressives Congress, APC after commissioning a project with the state governor, Sen Dr Ifeanyi Authur Okowa the previous day.
According to Orugbo, “The PDP was sinking and i have nothing to do in such a sinking ship anymore.
Chief Friday Orugbo, the Omo-Eni of Udu Kingdom disclosed that he was done with the PDP and that after so much investment in the party without any hope of reprieve in sight, the time for him to move on with his followers have come.
The former President General of Ogbe-Udu community disclosed that he was moving with unit leaders, the party exco members and supporters numbering over 200 to the APC so he could join the progressive family to uproot PDP from Delta state on Saturday.
He expressed delight with the warm reception he has received since he made up his mind to dump the PDP, stressing that he was determined to take the risk to follow his heart and personal conviction by joining the APC to be part of the final push to rout PDP on Saturday and draw down the brilliant campaign manifesto of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege for a better Delta State.
He appealed to the people of Ogbe-Udu, Ukpiovwin, Okolor-Inland and Okolor-waterside as well as the entire Udu community to support the APC so as to birth a new Delta where the rule of law, peace, respect for people and the welfare of the citizens will thrive, adding that Senator Ovie Omo-Agege was going to win on Saturday.
Chairman of the APC in Udu LGA, Comrade David Rheriobore, who received the decampees thanked them for joining the APC family, welcoming them with an open hand.
He expressed delight with the brave decision of Chief Friday Orugbo to dump the PDP together with his teeming supporters and well wishers, stressing that with the Omo-Eni in the APC, the battle to win ward three was over.
He assured the decampees that they were going to be treated equally with the old members as their contribution to the victory of the party would be handsomely rewarded in due course.
Rheriobore also assured the new members that later in the day, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege will officially receive the new members into the party so as to be fully integrated and brought before the powers that are in charge of the APC in Delta State.
Chairman of the APC Campaign Council in Udu, Comrade Mike Ibada and other APC leaders were on ground to receive the new members
Among those who followed Chief Friday Orugbo to join the APC family were Mr Okuku Nyerhovwo, who had been secretary of the party in the ward among other exco members.
With the collapse of the ward exco into the APC two days to the election, the ward went into massive jubilation, dancing along major streets of Ogbe-Udu community to herald the coming of Chief Orugbo to the APC family.