Senator Osita Izunaso has revealed that he attended a meeting in London during which the late Anambra South senator, Ifeanyi Ubah, promised Senate President Godswill Akpabio that he would join the ruling party, APC.
Izunaso stated this on Tuesday during the valedictory session organised by the Senate in honour of the late senator.
The senator said part of the London agreement was that Ubah would defect from the Young Progressives Party (YPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“When Ifeanyi Ubah was about to join the All Progressives Congress, he invited me as a witness to have our popular London meeting with you, Mr. President.
“In that London accord, you (Akpabio) asked Ifeanyi Ubah two questions – ‘are you (Ubah) sure you are going to join APC?’ Ifeanyi said ‘yes, I’ll join APC.’ You asked him this question: ‘but I am aware that your (Ubah) matter is still in court. Are you going to tell us that it is after you finish with the court battle that you will join us?’ Ifeanyi said ‘No, I am joining APC.’ That deal was sealed and Mr President of the Senate said, ‘the moment I (Akpabio) return to Nigeria, I will go and see the Commander-in-Chief and I (Akpabio) will tell him that Ifeanyi Ubah wants to join APC.’
“Mr President, that London accord, Ifeanyi Ubah kept to his words, and you also kept to your words, and within a very short period of time, he (Ubah) joined our party and transformed APC in Anambra State. That is the man Ifeanyi Ubah,” he said.
PREMIUM TIMES reports that Mr Ubah defected to the ruling APC in October 2023. He was the sole YPP senator from 2019 till his defection. The APC already had a majority in the Senate but Ubah’s defection further swelled its ranks.
Izunaso’s reference to ‘popular London meeting’ suggests that the meeting held with Messrs Ubah and Akpabio was just one of many such meetings in the British capital. Nigerian public officials routinely hold such meetings in foreign countries such as the UK, France and the US, sometimes with public funds. Apart from senators, others who hold such meetings abroad include the president and state governors.
The practice has persisted despite condemnations by many Nigerians.
