Abaribe was first elected to the Senate in 2007 after he served as Deputy Governor between 1999 and 2003.
By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
The haemorrhage of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which started on Wednesday with the exit of one of its presidential aspirants, Mr. Peter Obi, continued on Friday when Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe also dumped the opposition party.
TheNiche can authoritatively report that Abaribe has now joined the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), on which platform he intends to recontest for the Senate in the 2023 elections.
Confirming the defection of Abaribe to APGA in a telephone call on Friday, his media aide, Uchenna Awom, said: “It is true. The distinguished senator has joined APGA. The impunity in the PDP can no longer be tolerated. The party is in a serious crisis now and the injury is self inflicted.”
Asked where Senator Abaribe will go from here, Mr. Awom said, “He will recontest for the Abia South Senatorial seat. He is going back to the Senate to continue with his very effective representation of the people.”
Abaribe was first elected to the Senate in 2007 after he served as Deputy Governor between 1999 and 2003.
Abaribe, governorship aspirant in Abia State until last Wednesday equally resigned from his position in the National Assembly as the Senate Minority Leader.
Recall that Abaribe withdrew from the PDP governorship primaries on Wednesday, citing alleged imaginary delegates list and lack of transparency as reasons for his withdrawal.
Not only did he withdraw from the race, he also gave an indication that his marriage with the political party, on which platform he served as Deputy Governor of Abia State was heading for an acrimonious divorce.
In separate letters to his ward chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State and the President of the Senate in the National Assembly, Abaribe cited reasons of illegality, impunity and hesitations in decision-making for his decision to dump the party.
In the letter titled, “Resignation of my membership from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,” which was addressed to the ward chairman, Abaribe wrote: “I write to inform you of my decision to resign as a member of (the) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“This development is consequent upon the shameful display of illegality, impunity and undemocratic decision of the party and after due consultations with my constituents.”
In a letter of resignation as a member of the PDP in the Red Chamber of the National Assembly and by extension the Senate Minority Leader, which was addressed to the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, Abaribe said: “This is to notify you and my dear colleagues in the Senate that I have formally resigned my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party through my ward. This also means my resignation as (the) Minority Leader of the Senate.”
The two-paragraph letter titled, “Notification of Resignation from the Membership of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Senate,” concluded: “I wish to thank you and my dear colleagues in the Leadership of the Senate for the warm camaraderie we enjoyed while I was Minority Leader.”
