By Cajetan Mmuta, Awka
Former Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Rita Maduagwu and ex-Minister of State for Transportation, Chief John Emeka, yesterday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Maduagwu left the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to join the APC while Emeka dumped the Peoples’ Democratic Party(PDP), also for the APC.

Both politicians formally joined the APC during a reception ceremony organised by the APC leadership for Senator Joy Emodi at her Onitsha residence.

In addition, a chieftain of the PDP, Chris Chikwelu, joined the APC at the occasion, alonfgside a former APGA governorship aspirant, Chuma Nzeribe.

Hundreds of PDP members from Onitsha North, Onitsha South, Ayamelum and Anambra East local government areas of the state, also followed.

At the event, members of Hausa and Yoruba communities in Onitsha declared their support for the APC.

State APC Chairman, Chief Basil Ejidike, who received the defectors, commended their courage a decision, stressing that belonging to a party at the centre was the right way to go.

He said, “We are not going to leave any stone unturned in our bid to win the Anambra governorship election because Anambra is the South-East’s political engine.”

Senator Emodi said Ndigbo must connect to the centre, pointing out that was why she came out from her political retirement to join APC some weeks back.

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According to her, “This is the time for the Igbo to join politics at the centre. We should join hands to make Nigeria great, and there is no other way to do it than to work with the party at the centre.”

He added, “I don’t have any fear that APC will win the November 6 governorship election; and by the grace of God, with the quality of politicians from different parties joining the fray, it will happen.”

Addressing the decampees, the governorship candidate of the APC for the November 6 election, Senator Andy Uba, said with the massive support of members, it would be easy for the party to win the election in a free, fair and square contest.

He said, “We will work hard to win this election .We will run issue- based campaigns to win the election free, fair and square”.

Uba had later led a delegation of the party chieftains to the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, for a royal blessings.

Igwe Achebe tasked all the participating political parties for the Anambra governorship election to shun all forms of violence and campaign of calumny to allow peace to reign in the state