By Chimaobi Afiauwa, Abuja
Former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji, has tendered his resignation from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), adding to the string of resignations that have plagued the Abia PDP following the victory of the Labour Party (LP) in the state.
In a briefing with some of his close supporters on Monday night, the ex-Assembly Speaker emphasized the necessity of his decision.
“This decision follows extensive consultations. I am grateful to the party for providing the platform that led to my election as the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly,” his official resignation letter from the PDP reads in part.
MUK TV reports that Orji, one of the hegemonic figureheads in the Abia PDP, has experienced a strained relationship with former governor Okezie Ikpeazu, his father’s successor, since the party’s defeat in the 2023 polls, culminating in accusations against Ikpeazu of betrayal and secretly hobnobbing with his political enemies.
It is worth noting that the former Assembly Speaker was the PDP’s candidate for the Umuahia/Ikwuano Federal House of Representatives seat in 2023, an election he lost to the LP’s candidate.
Although he has not yet joined another party, there is speculation that the former Abia Speaker could be heading to the All Progressives Congress to reboot his political career.