A governorship aspirant in Anambra, Valentine Ozigbo, says he defected from the Labour Party to the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the former’s lack of direction and effective leadership that Nigerians are yearning for.

Mr Ozigbo, who participated in the APC’s primary election, told journalists in Lagos on Tuesday that the Labour Party’s internal conflicts, failed election litigations, failed reforms, and his frustrated ambition also prompted his defection.

He recounted that he joined the LP in 2023 and contributed to mobilisation and fundraising.

“But after the election, the situation was disheartening, the party became riddled with internal strife and lacked the leadership necessary for the reforms we needed.

“There was no structure, no plan, and no leadership committed to real change. Staying would have meant fighting a lost battle,” Mr Ozigbo said.

Mr Ozigbo dismissed claims that he decamped to APC to get a political appointment in return, adding that his aim is to build a better Anambra and a stronger Nigeria.

The politician advised Nigerians to be ready to sacrifice if they want change, warning that “politics must not be left to those who don’t care for Nigerians’ common good.”

“It’s not just about elections; it’s about building a system where the son of nobody can become somebody,” Mr Ozigbo stated. “Now, more than ever, we need leaders who will truly serve the people. That’s why I’m still in this fight.”

Mr Ozigbo, an ally of the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, also emphasised that the former Anambra governor, “is not my godfather.”

However, he stressed, “I respect him, but I am my own man. My path is about delivering results, not seeking validation.”

On the April 5 APC governorship primary in Anambra that witnessed Nicholas Ukachukwu, emerge candidate with 1,455 votes to defeat him with 67 votes, Mr Ozigbo said he can challenge the election process and outcome but doing so will be futile, adding that the governor is sponsoring Mr Ukachukwu to destabilise the APC in the state.

He said, “I can challenge many things that went wrong, the evidence is there, but to what extent. I should now go to court to say it’s true, but since the time for the primary is gone, APC doesn’t have a candidate, then Soludo will clap, ‘look at this foolish man, they still played into our hands’.”

“So, let’s leave that process. I’ve only done the challenge internally. I wrote to APC and attached evidence, electronic and otherwise, on the things that went wrong; that’s for internal APC consumption.

“But now, I’m only challenging the validity and qualification of Nicholas Ukachukwu that this man, for instance, ought to have been a member (APC) for three months before running. He joined in January; I joined in February. I wrote to APC that I’m not qualified to run, give me a waiver, so that I can be qualified to run, and they gave me. But he (Ukachukwu) backdated, he forged, he lies.”