After Obi’s defection, Abaribe quits APGA, joins ADC
Eyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia south, has resigned from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Abaribe made the announcement in Enugu on Wednesday while addressing party members after the defection of Peter Obi to the ADC.
Introducing himself at the gathering, Abaribe acknowledged David Mark, chairman of the ADC, and said he was wearing the party’s cap for the first time.
“Mr David Mark, chairman of ADC, this is the logo of the party on this cap, and I’m going to wear this cap for the first time,” he said.
The lawmaker said he formally resigned from APGA earlier in the day.
“Let me also announce that this morning, I resigned from the All Progressive Grand Alliance. So as of now, I am fully in ADC, following my brother and our leader, Mr Peter Obi,” he said.
Abaribe said he was confident that the party would achieve its political objectives.
“I wish all of us well, and I know that we’re going to get there,” he said.
Reflecting on previous questions about how political change would come, Abaribe referred to an Igbo expression.
“When I was giving my last interview and they were asking me how do you think it will happen, I told them ‘Mgbe o ruru’ (the time has come),” he said.
Abaribe said the move to the ADC marked a collective resolve to change Nigeria’s political direction.
He accused the ruling party of betraying its promises to Nigerians.
“The whole of us are going into ADC, and we shall remove the cancer that has held Nigeria down since 2015,” Abaribe said.
“We will remove that party that promised change but brought pain. That party brought death and destruction to Nigeria.”
With the defection, Abaribe becomes the second serving senator to join the ADC, after Ireti Kingibe, senator representing the federal capital territory, joined the party earlier this month.
