The member representing Tai, Eleme, Oyigbo Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Barry Mpigi, has dumped the All Progressives Congress, APC for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Rivers State, describing the APC as dead.
Mpigi, whose official defection may not be shocking to political observers in the state, has been having a long time romance with the PDP and Gov.Wike in Rivers State.
Mpigi was the only APC member who actively participated in the June 16 local government election in Rivers State despite an outright boycott of the exercise by the state chapter of the APC.
He had continued to have a more than cordial relationship with Gov.Wike which had sparked defection rumours long before now.
The former strong ally of Senator Magnus Abe who is a front line APC Governorship Aspirant in Rivers State is plotting to contest the 2019 General Election under the PDP platform for Rivers South-East Senatorial District, a position currently occupied by Mr.Abe.
Hon.Mpigi who officially dumped the APC at his ward in Koroma, in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday was before then a member of the Reformed APC, a splinter group from the mainstream, APC.
The defection was witnessed by key members of the PDP including the local government Chairman, Dr.Jacobson Nbina, Commissioner of Works, Rt.Hon.Dum Deekor, Hon Matthew Nenubari Dike, member representing Tai at the Rivers State House of Assembly, former Nigerian Ambassador to South-Korea and Administrator of Greater Port-Harcourt City Development Authority, Amb.Desmond Akawor, and other top PDP Leaders from Eleme, Gokana and Oyigbo local government areas.
Mpigi who expressed joy at his return to his real political home apologized to those he might have offended while he sojourned in APC and vowed to deliver the local government Areas he represents for the PDP.
“Let me state it very clear that what you’re seeing here today, the membership card of PDP is a clear indication that I’m done and have nothing to do with the dead APC.
To some of my friends here who have always been believing I will return back home to this family, it has happened today and we are about to do it in the way we used to do it.
“Within a period of one week from today I will invite you all and others from my constituency and by extension Rivers Southeast to gather but for those of you who are here today, I just want to say thank you.
I want to assure you all that the 93 units in Eleme, 91 units in Tai and 109 units in Oyigbo will deliver a block vote to PDP. I want to formally apologize to some of my friends whom I may have offended during my staying on the other side, I want to let everyone know that as I have moved into PDP today, no other party can build or stand any other party secretariat in this ward, we’re in charge here and will deliver all the pulling units.
“His Excellency Chief Barr Nyesom Wike has asked me to get 10 motorcycles to donate to all our ward chairmen in order to help them go about and preach the good works of PDP to our supporters across the wards and right after now I will deliver the bikes to them all. The governor said I cannot come in without mobilizing the party leaders, we are starting from Tai today and definitely we will go round Eleme, Oyigbo and by extension, we will go to the entire senatorial zone” Mpigi said.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State APC has yet reacted to the defection of Hon. Mpigi and his description of the APC as dead.
