Opposition leaders excited over defection of popular transporter

The All Progressives Congress, APC, at the weekend welcomed some members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, into its fold. The proprietor of a popular transport company, Peace Mass Transit Limited, PMT, Sam Oniyshi, led his supporters to join the opposition party in Enugu State, South Eastern Nigeria.

Mr. Onyishi announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the APC on Sunday at a meeting with its leaders in the state.

Among the leaders who received him were the party’s National Welfare Officer, Emma Eneukwu, Peter Okonkwo, Okechukwu Ezea and Valentine Nnaedozie. Messrs Ezea and Nnaedozie were the governorship candidates of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and Labour Party, LP, in 2011.

A statement by a leader of the APC in the zone, Osita Okechukwu, on Monday said the transporter also announced his intention to contest the 2015 governorship election in the state on the party’s platform.

He said Mr. Onyishi’s defection was a clear signal that PDP was on the decline in the state.

Mr Okechukwu added that as a patriot and man of the people, the defector had read the APC manifesto and appreciated the difference between its progressive philosophy and the conservative philosophy of the PDP.

“Naturally, APC is the home of all social democrats and humanists like Sam. He is welcomed in our fold and luckily coming from Nsukka zone, our great party after wide consultation may make him the consensus candidate,” he added.

Mr. Eneukwu, confirmed to journalists that Mr. Onyishi had joined the APC.

“We have welcomed him to our fold. He went to a party he felt will serve his purpose better. Maybe he felt that PDP is being run like a cartel and decided to look for a better platform,” Mr. Eneukwu, who was the spokesperson of the defunct All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), said.

Mr. Ezea also expressed joy at Mr. Onyishi’s decision to pitch tent with APC, adding that it was a welcome development.

He said he was happy that other people now believed what he and others had said that the PDP would not guarantee everybody a level playing ground.