By Ben Agande

The national chairman of the Progressive Peoples Alliance, Engr  Larry Esin,  is unperturbed  by  the defection of Governor  Theodore Orji of Abia State  from  the PPA to the All Progressive Grand Alliance. He says the governor’s exit is a non-issue and will not in any way  affect the fortunes of the party in the state.

In an  interview with Sunday Vanguard  in Abuja, Esin said the defection of  the governor to the APGA has further endeared the people of the state to PPA and  the party would benefit positively.

“Abia is a PPA state. The people of Abia are solidly behind the PPA and in a  free and fair election, it will be difficult for any party to beat PPA in Abia State” he said, adding that  the defection of the governor,  though  ‘disappointing’,  has gone to confirm the rumour that had been making  the rounds that the governor was indeed on his way out of the party.

He pointed out that the queries raised by the National Working Committee of the party to the governor which the governor used as an  excuse to dump the party “was  in no way antagonistic but to react to genuine fears of the teeming supporters  of the party.”

“The PPA boss went on: What we did was to react to the complaints of the electorate and by doing that  we reassured them that we did not abandon the cause of the people. Look at Lagos State for instance, Governor Fashola  had had to deal with such similar situation  but he has not left the party. He has honoured his social contracts with the  people.  The Orji that I know is a man of honour. I think he has been misled by some groups  of people to leave the house that he helped to build”.

Asked whether the party would challenge the defection in court,  Esin said  though some people are of the opinion that the action should be challenged in  court, the party would not likely do that in the interest of the people of the  state.

“We are at all times considering the plight of PPA in Abia. If we do that  (challenge the defection in court), the people will suffer. We are few months  away from elections. We will maintain the status quo. We don’t want the people  of Abia State to have more troubles”, he add