President Muhammadu Buhari has formally welcomed the Deputy Governor of Anambra, Nkem Okereke, who defected last week from the All Peoples Grand Alliance (APGA), into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Gov. Hope Uzodinma of Imo, who is also the Chairman Anambra Gubernatorial Campaign Council, confirmed this to State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Buhari at the State House, Abuja, on Wednesday.

He said Okeke was presented to the president by the Chairman of the Interim National Committee of the APC and Governor of Yobe, Mala Buni.

According to the governor, many prominent politicians are defecting to the APC because of the development projects of the Buhari administration in the Southeast.

“Our people are now willing to join the winning team, which is the APC party. At the last count, eight members of the House of Representatives from APGA and PDP have joined the APC.

“Just this afternoon, the Deputy Governor of Anambra joined the APC and has been presented to the president so, what is remaining?

“If there is any strong parametre for conducting an opinion poll, this exodus of legislators and the second in command in Anambra should automatically translate into electoral victory,” he said.

On the sit-at-home order by IPOB in the Southeast, the governor said the order had been politicised, saying that the opposition raises false alarm about people being killed just to cause confusion.

“The sit-at-home order is also being politicised because those issuing the order are faceless.

“We’ve not seen either through newspapers or through broadcast order directing people to sit at home.

“Rather, what we know that is happening is this paparazzi mentality of trying to put fear into our people and make innocent people vulnerable.

“As I speak to you, the sit-at-home order is not being obeyed in Imo,’’ he said.

He added that apart from last Monday when there was restriction of movement as a result of the Izombe killings in the state, the people had been going about their normal businesses.

The governor revealed that he used the opportunity of the meeting to thank President Buhari for his recent visit to Imo. (NAN)