Kalu leads PPA members back to PDP
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- Category: Politics
- Published on Tuesday, 13 July 2010 05:53
- Written by Admin
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Former Abia Governor, Orji Kalu, yesterday led some members of the Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA) back to the Peoples Democratic Party in a meeting held at PDP National Secretariat in Abuja.
Mr. Kalu, who is the PPA’s Chairman Board of Trustees, said the defection was to fulfil his promise of cooperating with the PDP in delivering the dividends of democracy to Nigerians. Mr. Kalu had problems trying to stablise the PPA following the defection of his successor, Theodore Orji from the party recently. The former governor said he left PDP when the ideals of the founding fathers were not respected and urged the leadership of the PDP to restore internal democracy, if good governance would be achieved.
“If Nwodo can implement a strong internal democracy in PDP, then there would be no doubt about what length the party can go.
“I left PDP because I and some other members of the party were deregistered; but today, I don’t feel ashamed to return to a house I am a part of the founding fathers,”he said.
Similarly, Larry Esin, National Chairman, PPA, said the party’s decision to join the PDP was to pursue a common goal of delivering the promises of democracy to the people.
“We are here today to pursue that goal together,” and added that all members of PPA nationwide would join the PDP Receiving them, Okwesilieze Nwodo, National Chairman of the PDP, described the move as a major step in the march towards true democracy.
Mr. Nwodo said that he was determined to reconnect the PDP with the people, adding that the party will produce best candidates to contest on its platform during the 2011 elections.
“We are determined to restore internal party democracy where people will choose their leaders and people who loose primaries will do so honorably.
“There would be a level playing ground for genuine elections to produce credible leaders who would deliver good governance to the people,” he said.
He urged others who intended to return to the party to do so in the interest of moving the nation forward, adding that the process of online registration of members was simplified to ensure that members did not face difficulties to register.
Mr Kalu’s return to the party however is the second major defection after the former vice-president, Atiku Abubarkar returned to the PDP a few months back.
Prominent people led by Mr Kalu, who said the PPA has collapsed, include Chris Akomas, Abia State Deputy Governor; Chuka Odom, former Minister of state (FCT); Stanley Ohajuruka, member House of Representatives, Mascot Kalu, Chief of Staff Abia State and Mustapha Ahmed, Deputy National Chairman, PPA.
