In a significant political shift, the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Professor Ngozi Odu, has officially left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to become a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). This move consolidates a major realignment in the state's political landscape.
Completing the Defection with E-Registration
Professor Odu finalized her switch on Sunday, completing the APC's online registration process at her polling unit in Akabuka, which is located in Ward 8, Unit 11 of the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area. Her defection comes over a month after Governor Siminalayi Fubara and a majority of state and federal lawmakers from Rivers made the same move to the ruling party.
The announcement was made public through a statement issued in Port Harcourt by Owupele Benebo, who heads the Press Unit in the Deputy Governor's office. Following her registration, Odu immediately embarked on a tour to galvanize support across her local government.
Grassroots Mobilization Across Six Zones
Professor Odu dedicated the day to visiting all six zones within the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA. She traveled to Egi, Omoku, Osomini, Igburu, Egbema, and Ndoni to sensitize residents about the ongoing APC e-registration exercise. She urged people to show solidarity with President Bola Tinubu and Governor Fubara by registering with the party in large numbers.
Addressing stakeholders, she explained that the e-registration drive was a direct follow-up to Governor Fubara's own declaration for the APC weeks prior. She stated that the objective was to strengthen the support base for both leaders, revealing that six zonal meetings had already been organized to secure backing from the grassroots.
Odu described the reception she received as overwhelmingly positive, with large crowds turning out in each zone. She said the people expressed a clear willingness to align with her political direction, as well as that of Governor Fubara and President Tinubu.
Boost for APC and Defection from Labour Party
The Deputy Governor expressed confidence that her defection would significantly boost the APC's strength within the local government area. She interpreted the enthusiastic response as a clear sign of growing alignment with the leadership of President Tinubu and Governor Fubara at the community level.
A notable highlight of the tour occurred in Ndoni, where hundreds of members from the Labour Party formally defected to the APC. The statement noted that these new entrants were excited about joining the party, marking another gain for the APC in the region.
This series of defections marks a profound transformation in Rivers State politics, signaling a consolidated structure under the APC banner with the state's top executives now firmly in the party's fold.
