By CHARLES IWUOHA

A member of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Mr Chris Usulor, has said that over 80 per cent of members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) across the state were ready to defect to the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) to support his gubernatorial ambition.

Usulor, a third-term member representing Ezza South Constituency disclosed this on Sunday in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, while speaking to newsmen.

The lawmaker who claimed that he wasmore experienced than other governorship aspirants in the state, said Nigerians were very much yearning for PDP to take over power from the ruling APC, both at the state and at the centre.

According to him, “In Nigeria as a whole, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is set to take over the leadership of the country. If you look at what is happening now, you know the positioning of PDP, with regards to the quest to take over the Presidency. If you look at the country, you see that everybody is yearning for a change. Everybody is expecting PDP to take over the leadership of the country.

“In Ebonyi State, citizens do not know any other thing than the Peoples Democratic Party. It has been institutionalized in the state. PDP is in the mouth of every woman, boy, girl and children in Ebonyi State. It is almost a tradition in the state, and so, I don’t think that any other party can take the mantle of leadership of the state from PDP.

“That the All Progressive Congress is at the helm of affairs, it is just on a temporary basis. Unless they rig PDP out in the forthcoming elections, if it is on a free and fair election, PDP will win in every Local Government areas of the state.”

The lawmaker stated further that only rigging by the ruling APC would stop PDP from taking over power in the 2023 general elections.

“And so, we will come up with a peaceful disposition towards regaining power and in doing that, we will preach to Ebonyians to still stand by PDP. We are not going to plan rigging. We are not going to cause violence but that doesn't mean that if we are pushed to wall, we just run away like that. We will keep playing the game according to the dictates of the law,” Usulor said.

The PDP chieftain further insisted that, it was the turn of Ebonyi Central senatorial zone to produce the next governor of Ebonyi State.

“The clamouring everywhere is that other clans should allow Ezza Clan which is the eldest son of Ezekuna and in Ebonyi state, they (Ezza) are the eldest to rule the state.

“Generally, the position of the people in Ebonyi Central senatorial zone is that it is their turn to produce the governor. In alliance with the resolution of PDP, it is the turn of Ezzas, that's what we are clamouring. An average Izzi man will equally be clamouring that it is their turn. But the SEC resolution has given the two zones the equal Opportunity to vie for this position. And so, any of the clans can take it,” he stressed.

“I’m going to be the next governor of Ebonyi state. And I’m going to achieve that through mass mobilization, sensitization, campaigning and lobbying.

“If I’m giving the ticket of the PDP, 80 per cent of the members of the All Progressive Congress in Ebonyi State will decamp to the Peoples Democratic Party, to support me. They will decamp to support me and you know what that means,” he said.