Thousands of members of the All Progressives Congress, Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Grand Alliance from Abia State have joined the Labour Party.

They vowed to deliver the party in all strata of leadership positions in the upcoming 2023 general election in the state.

They vowed to use their Permanent Voter Cards as the only alternative to change the narrative of governance in Umuahia East State Constituency in the forthcoming election.

They lamented that the area has not fared well in the government’s provision of basic socio-economic and infrastructural amenities to improve the development of the area.

They spoke through respective leaders, Chidi Ibelegbu, John Obioma and Michael Nwachukwu during the formal declaration event held at the country home of LP standard bearer for Umuahia East State Constituency seat, Austin Okezie Meregini, on Thursday.

The former members of the parties from Umuahia East State Constituency also maintained that they shall troop out in their large numbers during the 2023 general election to enthrone effective, purposeful and responsive representation at the State House of Assembly, as they vowed they would no longer sit on the fence and watch the constituency deteriorate from infrastructural decadence, youth restiveness, economic downturn and unemployment.

They explained that all these syndromes necessitated their collective decision to join the Labour Party in Abia State, assuring to rally-round and deliver Meregini in the upcoming 2023 general election.

According to the ex-party members: “It’s not in doubt that Austin Okezie Meregini possesses the requisite qualifications, ranging from capacity to ability, competences, expertise, contacts and wherewithal to provide the needed dividends of democracy to the doorsteps of the constituents of Umuahia East.

“We are tired of happenings in our constituency and entire state.

“The current party will entrusted with our mandate has failed to use our mandate to improve the welfare of the masses in the state, as we have left our various political parties to rewrite narratives in the governance of Umuahia East Constituency and Abia at large.

“We are also alerting the Abia populaces that the future of our children are not protected under our parties.

“We are not induced or under whatever political aggrandisement, as seen in other places, to render our total support to the Labour Party.

“We have done it before and will replicate the same in Umuahia East and the state come 2023.

“Because we believe in internal democracy, justice, equity and fairness, we indisputably garner the highest number of eligible Abia votes that has kept the PDP in power today.”

In their separate speeches while receiving the PDP, APC and APGA defectors into the fold of the Labour Party during the declaration ceremony, the party’s State Secretary, Rev. Andrew Ohiagba, and the Umuahia North Local Government Area Chairman of the party, Comrade Uche Ugele, insisted that Abia State is sick and need total healing, adding the PDP-led government has murdered democracy, hence the urgent importances for the Abia State electorate to use their Permanent Voter Cards to entrench the desired change, which Abia populaces are yearning for.