Ex-gov Chime officially jumps to APC, says PDP ‘dead and cremated’

A former governor of Enugu State, Mr Sullivan Chime, has finally dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party under whose platform he served the state for eight years, for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The former governor, who officially announced his action on Wednesday in Enugu, declared that the change, which the APC represents, has now finally come to the state, adding that he would on May 6, formerly register as an APC member in Udi/Agbudu Ward, Udi Local Government Area of the state.

Chime had about two months ago declared he was no longer a member of the PDP but refused to mention his new party.

However, announcing his new party on Wednesday, Chime dubbed PDP a “dead and cremated” party, adding that he had to move to APC to provide direction for his supporters and those who look up to him.

He said, “I have now made my consultations with all ward, local government and state chairmen of the APC and the entire state executive of the party, including the national leadership. They have assured us that we can come in and I am excited about the prospect of joining the party.

“This is the only party that can take any politician to their destination and I pray that what happened to the PDP does not happen to APC. I am moving to the APC because a lot of people are looking up to me for direction. I ended my journey in 2015 but I still have my supporters looking for guidance.

“I can assure you that the APC will win the state in 2019. Change has come to Enugu and it is like a movement.”

He said it was regrettable that his decision to exercise his constitutional right by joining any political party of his choice had elicited spates of violence, sponsored by his detractors in the PDP.

“Since I announced my exit from the PDP, I have been branded a total failure.

“Some people think I am nursing the ambition to go to the senate and the best thing to do is to run me down.”

Chime was sometime ago quizzed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with the $115 million cash allegedly disbursed by Fidelity Bank on the instruction of the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, during the re-election bid of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Already some analysts argue that with apparent political scenario where members of APC are seen as corruption free, Chime’s defection, like Abia State former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, Plateau State’s ex-Governor Joshua Dariye, may not be unconnected with the corruption case still revolving around him.

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