Former Army Provost Marshal joins PDP in Edo

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Brigadier General, Idada Ikponmen (rtd), a former Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army, has defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party.

In 2015, Ikponmwen, who is also the Edo State chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), joined the APC after the electoral victory of President Muhammadu Buhari.

However, yesterday, Ikponmwen defected to the PDP at his Oredo Ward 3 alongside some of his supporters.

During his Defection, he stated that he returned to the PDP because the party has reformed itself and better positioned to lift the country out of its mess, adding that the promises of the APC were mere rhetoric.

According to him: “You will recall that I am a pioneer member of the PDP. A lot of things happened and I moved out. After a serious look at the situation at the country, I have convinced myself that the way forward for the country is the PDP.

“The old PDP has given way for a reformed PDP. The PDP has apologised. My home base has appealed to me to forget the past and join the party to move the country forward. I come back to the PDP to join effort of the members to move the country beyond mere rhetorics about fighting corruption.

“Three years gone, nothing tangible has happenned. I believe Nigeria needs a new direction. It cannot be a party that is disorganised and fighting itself. The PDP is a party that can look after the interest of Nigerians.”

Receiving Ikponmwen and his supporters at the PDP party secretariat, the senatorial leader of the party, Mr. Mike Ehiman, said more persons have indicated interest to join the PDP.