Edo APC Chieftains Deny Membership of Kwankwasiyya Group, Defecting to PDP

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Some chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC in Edo State have denied their alleged defection to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

The ruling party chieftains have also denied membership of the Kwankwasiyya group, the political association of former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Kwakwanso who defected from the APC to the PDP recently.

Speaking to THISDAY at the weekend, in Benin City, the state capital, a former APC Chairman in Orhionwon LGA of the state, Mr. Mathew Ehigie, said there was no time he contemplated leaving the party, saying that those who mentioned his name as one of the defectors did so out of malice.

“I don’t know why they have to include my name among the list of defectors. If I want to defect, I will make it public to say I have resigned my membership. I am still a member of the APC,” he said.

Also, a former member of the House of Representatives, representing Ovia Federal Constituency, Mr. Isaac Osahon has also denied his alleged defection from the ruling party to either the Reformed APC or Kwakwansiyya group.

Osahon, who spoke with journalists, said he could not have defected from APC to R-APC who are members of Kwakwanso in PDP when he is aggrieved with the party over certain issues the party is already addressing.

He listed the grievances as the plot to deny him ticket in the party, adding that his investigation revealed that some persons have been anointed.

“To say that I have defected because of these complaints is false. Again, I am not a member of the Kwankwassiya. It is the R-APC members who defected from PDP that belong to that group.

“I intend to contest for the House of Representatives where I was in the past but was not allowed to continue.
“So, these are the issues my party the APC is handling. I could not have defected when the the party is still handling the issues I raised”, Osahon added