By Chesa Chesa and Abba Eku Onyeka
The representative of Anambra South Senatorial District in the Senate, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah has defected from Young Progressives Party (YPP), to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on the floor of the Senate on Thursday.
Ifeanyi Ubah’s defection to APC , increased number of senators on the platform of the ruling party from 59 to 60 and reduced number of those on platforms of minority parties from 50 to 49 .
In his letter of defection read by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Ifeanyi Ubah cited irreconcilable differences between him and leadership of the YPP. He explained that his choice of APC as new political platform, was borne out of commitment to good governance, economic development and social progress, the party has demonstrated in governance at the federal level .
The letter reads: “I am willing to formally notify and informed the Distinguished Senate President and our colleagues of inconsiderable differences between me and the leadership of my party ( YPP). I therefore, resolved to move from the Young Progressives Party (YPP) to the most important party in Africa, the All Progressives Congress (APC) .
“As dedicated politician and representative of my people, this has become exigent at this period of my political career and public service. After thorough evaluation of the political landscape in Nigeria particularly, the good works being done by the All Progressives Congress since the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the president of Nigeria, I have come to realization and conclusion that the All Progressives Congress is better suited to champion the ideals and principles that can move Nigeria forward.
“The APC’s commitment to good governance, economic development and social progress resonate deeply to my own conviction and the alignment of each members on key national issues for achieving the promises of any decent politician and particularly the promises that I made to my constituents to better the lot of all of them. I am particularly impressed by the renewed hope initiative of President Bola Tinubu and I have found it needful to join the trend so as to integrate my senatorial district into the laudable mission of my President.”
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Umar Ganduje at the party’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday received Ifeanyi Ubah into the party and appointed him the new Leader of APC in Anambra State.
This was hours after Ubah, representing Anambra South senatorial district, defected from the Young Progressives Party (YPP) to the APC on the floor of the Senate, where he was the only YPP lawmaker.
Ubah was accompanied to the APC headquarters by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele as well as some other senators and party chieftains.
The APC chairman described the erstwhile YPP leader as an asset to the APC, who will be useful in liberating the southeast and encouraging the zone to join mainstream politics.
The former Kano state governor, who declared that the cry of marginalization by the Southeast was genuine, however, said it was self-inflicted and arose from playing politics of sentiments, even as he stated that there was no wisdom in four political parties shared five states in the zone.
He said: “Today is a day that we can’t forget. Since I assumed office, this is the biggest fish the party net has picked. Maybe, it is a shark and whale put together.
“We have introduced some reforms into the party: One, to make it active during the election and widen its membership. It is disturbing that marginalisation is a common concept. When we hear that people are being marginalised, we develop interest.
“I have met some senior politicians from the south-east, and the common thing is to complain about marginalisation. The absence of southeast in the Villa is a fact. You have five states, three controlled by three different political parties: PDP, APGA, and LP.”
In his remarks, Senator Ubah said apart from Tinubu’s economic reforms, he was impressed with his large heart to integrate the southeast region into his government in spite of the opposition from the region to his aspiration.
He said, ”It gladdens my heart to see the calibre of men that are here today to welcome me. We have been on this for a long, and we consummated this a few weeks ago in the United Kingdom.”
He said he consulted widely with family, political associates and constituents before joining APC, noting that up to 70 percent of Igbo millionaires made their wealth and success of their businesses with help of the legacy Tinubu provided in Lagos State.
Also noting that it had been difficult to get Igbo nation to key into national politics at the centre, Ubah expressed appreciation to Tinubu for appointing former Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi as Minister of Works, declaring that no man with good conscience that will not look in the direction of the President.
Promising to deliver his constituents to the APC, the industrialist-turned-politician and publisher stressed that “one important thing is to have connection with the grassroots, and I made my peoples’ complaints to President Tinubu in the presence of the Senate President, and he promised to look into them. By the grace of God I will make it with APC.”
