The Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Tele Ikuru, has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party from the All Progressives Congress (APC) just six days to the general elections.
The deputy governor, who has served in that position since 2007, said that he was obeying his conscience in making the move.
Ikuru, in an address entitled “A Call On The Conscience Of The People of Rivers State”, said the address was delivered out of the fullness of his heart. He described the party he was dumping in very uncomplimentary terms, even as he revealed his struggles to keep at peace with alleged deception of the party he was dumping.
He said: “Ever since, as the true nature and motives of APC are unveiled, I have continued to twist and turn in extreme mental and emotional agony.
“The more I struggle to belong, the more the Rivers man in me rejects the APC.
“After carefully studying, interacting and analyzing the leadership of the party, I have come to the sad conclusion that the APC is a party of rebels, insurgents and anarchists, clothed in robes of pretence and deceit. APC is a party founded on deception and it thrives on unholy propaganda and falsehood”.
Mr Ikuru said his decision was centred on the fact that he would not want to be listed as part of a generation that would witch hunt and hound down the very first ever President from the region, apparently referring to the incumbent President seeking re-election in the presidential election that will hold on March 28.
“I wash my hands off this treachery and in the light of the above, I wish to urge all My Supporters, the Good People of Rivers State to join hands with other well-meaning Nigerians to massively vote for President Goodluck Jonathan and the Transformation Agenda that has brought so much relief and succour to the greatest number of Nigerians.
“I also urge all Rivers People to vote for Chief Barr Nyesom Wike (CON), who has shown by his antecedents, track records and boundless capabilities that he will deliver good governance to the People of Rivers State,” the Deputy Governor said in his defection speech.
Mr Ikuru has been Governor Chibuike Amechi’s deputy sine 2007 and has been campaigning for the APC along with Amechi until he declared his defection.
