Senatorial hopeful laments leaving APC for NDC, saying it felt like moving from a frying pan to hellfire.

Ehiozuwa Agbonayinwa, a senatorial aspirant for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Edo South, has expressed regret over leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the NDC, describing the switch as “moving from a frying pan to a hell fire.”

Speaking on Arise News’ News Day on Friday afternoon, the former House of Representatives member said he won the NDC senatorial ticket in the primary election but is now being denied the chance to appear on the ballot.

Agbonayinwa also claimed that the NDC’s national leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, encouraged him to submit a senatorial expression of interest and nomination forms, yet later denied ever discussing the matter with him.

“I’ve moved from frying pan to hell fire,” Agbonayinwa said. “We had a direct primary after we couldn’t reach a consensus. They kept us in the room with all other contestants, asking us to step down for each other, and we couldn’t do that.”

“We went through rigorous processes. I understand that they are new, but I have never experienced this with the APC or the PDP. Never. Where people were asked to go for primary… May 29 was the day the primary was conducted; today is June 5 and the elections have not been announced.”

The NDC national leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, a longtime friend and colleague, was described by Agbonayinwa as a respected brother. “When we were to leave the NDC, I called him. He sent it to me and said, ‘I should come to the house.’”

“I went to his house and he said, ‘Why can’t you go to the Senate under the NDC?’ I said I would think about it. I was originally aiming for the House of Representatives, but when he offered that, I started thinking, ‘I will consult with my leaders,’ which I did, and I told him, ‘Thank you.’ But to my greatest surprise, the same man who asked me to go and buy the form said this morning in a meeting that he never said so.”