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By Myke Agunwa
President Bola Tinubu has described the mass movement of prominent politicians including Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori, his predecessor Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa and the entire Delta chapter of the People Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a political tsunami that has not been witness before in the state.
In a formal reception ceremony, organised for the defectors on Monday in Asaba, the Presdent described the defection as a movement, a political tsunami of unimaginable proportion that has never been witnessed in the south south subregion and in the history of Nigeria.
Represented by Vice President, Kassim Shettima, the president said that no testimony could be greater than such a political movement from one political party to another in the history of Nigeria than what happend on Monday.
“A tsunami of this proportion has never happened before, for all the members of the National Assembly, the Speaker and members of the State House of Assembly, the governor, his cabinet, 25 Local Government Council Chairmen, 500 councillors are now members of the APC,” he said.
He paid a special tribute to the immediate past Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa for the relationship that existed between him and Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori, while describing Okwa as a great leader.
While welcoming them to the APC he said, “Our tables have always been tables of dialogue. This is why every member no matter how great or small is welcome to air their grievances.
”Your Excellencies, Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori and former Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa and other great men and women, we welcome you to the APC today.
“You are not just in this house, you are now co-owners, according to the APC constitution, the governor of the state is the leader of the party.
”The APC is not only stronger today, it is better because you have come with new ways of thinking, new mirror though which we can reflect on our journey.
“We welcome you not as defectors, but as brothers and sisters who have their right path. We welcome you as a family and fellow architect of a better Nigeria,” Tinubu said.
On his part, APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, lauded Oborevwori and others for their decision to defect to the ruling party.
He described the occasion as historic and thanked President Tinubu for providing a good leadership in the country that had aided other parties to join the APC.
Earlier, Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo, said that with the movement of Delta PDP to the APC, the governor and the people of Delta have made the right decision to deepen development in the state by aligning with the government at the centre.
He acknowledged that Oborevwori has worked to build infrastructure in the state because he has a progressive mind like the APC governors.
Earlier, the immediate past Gov Okowa, said that the decision to move to the APC was collective and the right thing to do.
According to Okowa, the state has outlived its stay in the PDP and it is time to move forward to a better platform to benefit from the gains from the government at the centre rather than remain as opposition.
In his acceptance speech, Oborevwori said what happened was not a defection but a movement from the PDP to the APC.
He noted that remaining in opposition has never benefited the state ever since, adding that the movement was a collective decision of all from the national assembly, down to the LGAs and ward levels.
According to Oborevwori, the president has been magnanimous to the state and the only way to reciprocate is to become a family rather than opposition.
16 governance elected on the platform of the APC attended the ceremony.