Abia APC faults defection of former speaker, Orji into party

By Jude Opara

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Offor Okorie has faulted the recent defection of the immediate-past speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Chinedum Orji and loyalists to the party.
It would be recalled that the former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Chinedum Orji, had on Tuesday defected to the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC.
He was issued the APC membership card by the State Chairman of the Party in Abia, Kingsley Ononogbu.
Recall that Enyinnaya, the son of Theodore Orji, a former governor of Abia State had on Monday tendered his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party, and hinged his decision on some issues rocking the party.
Earlier, Okorie, while reacting in a statement on Wednesday, described the entry of members of the former ruling PDP into the progressive party as an energizer which will boost the strength of the party for coming future elections but reminded the decampees that APC is a national party that is guided by the constitution and has constitutional ways of defection and registration
Referring to the recent defection of the former speaker, Okorie, the State Publicity Secretary of the APC said “All registration is done at the ward level according to the party constitution, and not on someone’s table. You cannot go to anybody’s office fill out a form, collect a broom and dance to your house with your supporters calling yourself an APC member.
“Things are not done that way. Honorable Chinedum Orji, as a former Speaker should know how things are done properly when it comes to defection. You go to the local ward and register. What he did in an office in Umuahia as being circulated on social media is illegal and unconstitutional.
“The national officers of the party from Abia State and major stakeholders are not even aware of his defection. Some saw it on social media platforms and started calling me to confirm if it was true. And as much as we welcome defectors from PDP, their coming into the party should be constitutional”