The immediate past Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, has officially dumped the party for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The APC spokesman had announced his resignation from the party for personal reasons.
Addressing newsmen yesterday, at his residence in Port Harcourt, Nwuke said his decision followed his perceived marginalisation of Etche people by the federal government.
He said six years down the lines, Etche people are yet to feel any impact of the federal government especially on the aspect of empowerment, appointment and infrastructural development.
Nwuke insisted that it was wrong for him to remain in a party that promised his people changed but never bother to effect it on them even after he joined to fight for the change, saying that he has decided to ally with those that are ready to develop Etche.
“Last week or thereabout, I issued a statement saying that I was stepping aside from my role as spokesperson. As at that time, I did not say if I was leaving the party. I said then that my reasons were strictly personal. A day that I didn’t want to come has come.
For those who know me and my political history, I have always been very steady. I worked with Ebenezer Isokriari when he was aspiring to be governor. He didn’t win but we stayed with him. Thereafter, I took up membership of the PDP, serving with my very good friend and remained with him. But time comes in a man’s life when he needs to make certain decisions.
“Now, I believe it is time to step aside from the APC. No doubt about that, a part of you will die. We did not anticipate that a day like this will come. So, accordingly, I want to tell you my dear colleagues that I have left APC. I am not an ethnic bigot but then, we cannot deny the fact that all politics is local.
“I do not believe that in the last six years that my ethnic nation has been properly treated by those we have fought for. So, it has been difficult to appreciate that why this is so; that in the comity of 23 local governments, that the Etche ethnic nation has remained empty when it comes to appointments and all. Perhaps, Etche needs new development partners because what is critical is the aspirations of Etche nation”.
The former APC spokesman claimed that he is happy that he has left the party when it is more united than he meant it when he took over the affairs of information management.
He insisted that he will never discuss his former leader and friend, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.