Engr. Felix Ogbonna Igboke, a former All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Ebonyi State and former Commissioner for Projects Monitoring, has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), accusing the APC leadership of engaging in anti-party activities. Igboke, who also served as Chairman of Onicha Local Government Area, specifically alleged that the state APC chairman was involved in anti-party actions carried out openly without sanctions from the party hierarchy.
Allegations of Anti-Party Activities
“The APC chairman is playing anti-party politics, yet nothing is being done about it. The party structure has been hijacked for personal interests, and that is one of the reasons many of us decided to leave,” Igboke stated. He made the allegations during a PDP stakeholders’ rally at Isu Okoma Community School in Onicha Local Government Area, where he announced his defection along with 10,000 of his followers.
A Return to PDP
Igboke, who resigned as commissioner in Governor Francis Nwifuru’s administration a few weeks ago, described his move back to the PDP as a homecoming to a political platform he helped build and strengthen over the years. He expressed gratitude to the PDP leadership in the state, particularly the party’s governorship candidate, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, whom he hailed as the leader of the party and the incoming governor. He also commended the state chairman and other officials for welcoming him and his supporters back into the PDP fold.
Recounting his political journey, Igboke noted that he served as a councillor, development centre coordinator, and later chairman of Onicha Local Government under the PDP before leaving with some associates to join the APC. He emphasized that his decision to return was driven by the desire to reunite with the political family he helped establish and nurture.
Strengthening PDP’s Grassroots
The former chairman boasted that his defection would significantly strengthen the PDP’s grassroots structures and electoral prospects ahead of future elections, insisting he was not returning alone but with more than 10,000 loyal supporters spread across communities in Ebonyi State. He described the movement as a formidable political force capable of influencing electoral outcomes in the state.
Igboke also alleged that some of his supporters, particularly women, faced intimidation and obstacles while attempting to participate in the event. However, he urged his followers to remain peaceful and law-abiding, stressing that political differences should not result in violence or hostility.
Unwavering Loyalty to PDP
While maintaining that he harbored no personal grudges against members of his former party, whom he described as friends, Igboke declared his unwavering loyalty to the PDP and called on his supporters to identify solely with the opposition party going forward. He pledged to work closely with other stakeholders to unite and reposition the PDP while mobilizing support for the party’s candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
