Buoyed by the recent gale of defection by top members of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Director-General of Senator Monday Okpebholo/Dennis Idahosa Governorship Campaign Organisation, Senator Mathew Urhoghide has predicted an harvest of more members of the main opposition party to the APC.
Sounding upbeat, Senator Urhoghide who formally rejoined the APC from the PDP last April 13 at a well attended rally in the Edo State capital assured that more notable PDP members are on their way to the APC.
He said that the recent defection of eight ex-Council chairmen, former Edo House of Assembly Speaker, Frank Okiye, erstwhile PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) member, Mr. Charles "Charlie Temple" Idahosa, former PDP Woman Leader, the impending defection of Ex-Edo House of Assembly Speaker, Kabiru Adjoto, and a host of others, is just a tip of the iceberg as many more are on the sidelines, warming up to join the ruling party ahead of the September 21 election.
The director-general, who spoke with our reporter, remarked that feelers, reaching the campaign council on a daily basis, are that an avalanche of supporters of PDP want to quit the party and join the APC, noting however that not everyone can be taken in one day as they are scheduled to be admitted in batches due to the sheer number.
Ahead of the election, he said that the ruling party will soon organise a grand rally in Edo South and North like it recently did in Edo Central to welcome hordes of PDP supporters that have been persistently knocking on APC's door.
Against the backdrop of last weekend's rally in Edo Central, he said that it was the first batch as another batch is still in the pipeline as a lot of people who could not be captured in the first batch will be brought in.
Senator Urhoghide added: "We're talking of political leaders moving in and not just anyone. We saw the former speaker moving into the party and Honourable Felix Akhabue, all moving into the party. We still have a whole lot still coming from Esan South East and people from Esan Central and North East.
"We want to handle Edo North very specially like Edo South because a lot of people are going to be coming from there. So many people from PDP in those districts want to come to APC.
"There are so many people from Etsako West, Owan East. In Owan West where the Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, hails from, a lot of people are coming in from there. So also is Owan East. In Etsako Central, members of the Chief Dan Orbih headed Legacy Group want to join us. Etsako East is almost APC."
He continued: "Coming to Edo South, we're expecting people from Egor, Ikpoba Okha and Oredo. Practically, the axis of Ovia North East and Ovia South East is almost sealed with Honourable Dennis Idahosa. Mind you, not too long ago, Honorable Charles Idahosa from Uhunmwonde joined us.
"We're still expecting another batch coming. The Legacy PDP members are coming in batches too. In Oredo, we're going to see a whole lot of Legacy PDP members coming in, notably supporters of Honourable Ogbeide-Ihama.
"Even a day or two to the election, a lot of PDP supporters will still make a move to the APC. They are coming in but that's not important to us. What's important is that they believe that we should have a change of plans in Edo and that what's happening in Edo right now, isn't good enough and we're not going to allow a political dynasty that presently wants to be. We don't want it because the people ultimately, would not benefit from it."
The director-general assured that the party will soon embark on full campaign stumps throughout the 18 local government areas and 192 wards of Edo, noting that preparations are in top gear to kick start campaigns.
While predicting victory for APC in the September 21 election, he confessed that he was blown away by the humility of Senator Monday "Akpakomiza" Okpebholo, the APC governorship candidate, a homeboy, who is very much at home with his people, unlike some aloof elites, with very tall Curriculum Vitae, which do not translate to better life for their people.
