The lawmaker representing Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo State, Ikenga Ugochinyere, officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Action Peoples Party (APP) on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.Addressing a massive crowd of supporters at a rally in his country home of Akokwa, Ugochinyere cited “irreconcilable differences” and a lack of direction within the PDP’s national leadership as the primary reasons for his exit. He specifically accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, of orchestrating the unending internal squabbles that have left the PDP “consumed by a monster” of its own creation.
Ugochinyere detailed a long history of friction with his former party, claiming that the PDP attempted to disqualify him from the primary election and later sought court orders to declare his seat vacant. He lamented that during periods of intense political hostility—including a violent January 2023 attack on his property that resulted in the death of a supporter—the PDP failed to issue even a statement of solidarity. The lawmaker revealed he has faced 28 “trumped-up charges” and survived multiple assassination attempts, asserting that he has had to fight “both internal and external enemies” to retain his mandate.
During the rally, Ugochinyere warned Wike to desist from “talking down” on the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Azuta-Mbata, describing such insults as a “red line” for the Igbo nation. He urged President Bola Tinubu to call the Minister to order to prevent further political instability. The APP National Chairman, Uchenna Nnadi, formally admitted Ugochinyere into the party, describing him as one of the “loudest voices” in the National Assembly and a major asset for the APP’s growth ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ugochinyere described the APP as the only remaining “stable platform” in Nigeria, characterizing it as a party that rewards hard work and defends the sanctity of the ballot box. He vowed to seek international intervention regarding human rights abuses and political atrocities he alleges have been committed against his constituents
