The two members of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in the Abia State House of Assembly on Tuesday formally defected to the Labour Party (LP).
The defectors, Mr Iheanacho Nwogu, representing Osisioma North State Constituency, and Mr Fine Ahuama, representing Osisioma South State Constituency, were received by Governor Alex Otti at the Government House, Umuahia.
Speaking at the brief ceremony, Governor Otti said that the two lawmakers had always supported his administration from its inception, irrespective of their political affiliation.
The governor said that his administration was committed to transparency, service and merit as evident in his style of leadership.
He said: “One thing that I have assured members of the House of Assembly is that because we are running a transparent kind of leadership, we will never come to you with anything untoward.
“We don’t have anything to hide because Abia Government is working for the people of Abia.
“I even told them in Rivers that when you are governing people and they’re not happy there’s something wrong with the leadership.
“This is because the essence of governance is stewardship and I am happy because my people are happy.”
Otti said that LP would provide a level play field for all its members and urged the defectors to work towards bringing their constituents into the party.
He congratulated them on the bold step they took to join LP, adding that he looked forward to receiving more defectors into the party.
Earlier, the Majority Leader of the house, Mr Uchenna Kalu, said while presenting the two decampees to the governor that they announced their defection to the LP during the house plenary session.
In their separate speeches, Nwogu and Ahuama said that their decision to dump their former party was informed by the achievements of the Otti-led administration.
They said that belonging to the same party with the governor would enable them to join the support for his administration to deepen democracy at the grassroot for the benefit of their constituents. (NAN)