A former Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika has joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Chairman of APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee, Mai Mala Buni, disclosed this in a statement issued by his Director of Press and Media, Mamman Mohammed, on Friday in Abuja.
According to the statement, the ex-army chief was formally received into APC by Buni at a meeting in Abuja.
The meeting was attended by the Jigawa State Governor, Badaru Abubakar and a chieftain of the party, Farouq Aliyu.
The statement read: “Gen. Ihejirika was formally presented to the chairman by Jigawa governor and Chairman APC Strategy and Contact Committee, Alhaji Abubakar Badaru, and Farouk Aliyu.”
The APC chairman said Ihejirika’s decision to join the APC would improve the party’s fortunes in Abia and the South-East as a whole.
He said: “This is a great moment for the party as Gen. Ihejirika and other sons and daughters of the region are coming into the party to deliver the region and bring the South-East closer to the centre.”
Buni, who is also the Governor of Yobe State, expressed optimism that more politicians from the South-East would join the APC in the future.
Ihejirika was the Chief of Army Staff during ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
He was the army chief from September 2010 to January 2014.
Ihejirika is the third high-profile individual to join the APC in the last four weeks following the switch of former Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel and ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, to the ruling party.