A former Minister of Works (state) under President Goodluck Jonathan, Engineer Chris Ogiemwonyi, has defected to the All Progressives Congress.
Engineer Ogiemwonyi, who would be formally received by the National Chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, and other leaders of the APC, is also expected to join the Edo governorship race in 2016.
Expected at the official reception of the former minister and his supporters across the three senatorial districts of the state at the traditional Urhokpota ground, Ring Road Benin, are the State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole; former Head of State, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other members of the party.
Ogiemwonyi told journalists in Benin that he was motivated by the performance of the APC and the state governor in the transformation of Edo.
He also expressed displeasure with the 10-year leadership of the PDP in the state, which he said left much to be desired by the people of the state, adding that the performance of the APC governments in Edo and Lagos states were convincing that the party was truly progressive.
“People like to do comparative analysis, PDP was in Edo for ten years and APC is here now for six years, the boy in University of Benin or Ekpoma will compare when PDP was here and what they are seeing today. We are no more fools, nobody can come here and talk about using Federal might to rig, the people of Edo state will decide.
“You are not coming to force anything on our throat, time has passed when one man will decide who becomes who in Edo state, Edo people are not fools. We are all giving support to Oshiomhole because of what he is doing in the state, our people can see the difference.
“Look at our roads with six lanes. Look at the Benin Water storm project, today flood no longer sacks our people. If not for the bad state Oshiomhole met this state, we would have been comparing Edo to Lagos. Edo people will vote APC come 2015 and 2016, no doubt about that.
“What I can see is that Nigerians are no longer people you go and give rice to deceive them at the even of an election, giving them fake promises, we have since passed that stage.
“What Nigerians need now is effective leadership; a leader they can trust, leader that will make a promise and deliver. Nigerians need a leader that will stop oil theft, corruption, improve our power sector and solve our insecurity problems,” Ogiemwonyi said.
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