Defection exercise continues in Akwa-Ibom as PDP receives over 1,000 from APC

Despite the defection of Senator Godswill Akpabio to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday, over 1000 members of the APC in Oron federal constituency of Akwa Ibom state joined the PDP on Thursday.

The state PDP chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo, who received the defectors into the party, urged Akwa Ibom people to remain unshakeable in their support to Governor Udom Emmanuel and the PDP.

He said despite the gale of defections of key members of the party to the ruling APC, the party remains a religion of the people of the state and by extension, Nigerians.

Obong Ekpo stressed that; the party’s commitment to the provision of good governance as demonstrated by the governor should stimulate all well-meaning Akwa Ibom people to vote for the governor in 2019 so as he continues in his good works.

”Akwa Ibom state over the years matched promises with action, as demonstrated in the developmental strides of the Udom Emmanuel administration; so I call on Oro nation to deliver one hundred per cent vote to governor Udom and the PDP in the 2019 election.

The party boss thanked the party leaders in the federal constituency for their loyalty and steadfastness to the PDP, the decampess for returning to their base having realized their mistakes, calming that, the PDP was the only party for anybody to seek for elective office without rancour.

In her remarks, the former minister for housing and urban renewal, Akon Eyakenyi, thanked the party for accepting the decampees and assured the chairman that, Oro nation would vote PDP for 2019.

Earlier, the Oron chapter chairman of PDP, Mr Murphy Esin, assured the state chairman of the party that, the federal constituency would not disappoint the PDP, noting that, those that left the party before have learnt from their mistakes and would guide against repeat of such actions.

Some of the returnees include, Alice Ekpenyong former house of assembly member, Remigius Asukwo, Sunday Ating, Asuquo Awana, Victor Anwankak, among others.

Meanwhile, the Akwa Ibom state governor, Udom Emmanuel has said that, he was not perturbed by his predecessor defection to the APC.

Speaking after solidarity visit by local government chairmen from the 31 council areas of the state, vice chairmen and councilors, the governor noted that every person was entitled to exercise his fundamental human rights and free association.

“The political atmosphere is helping to deepened democratic governance and reinvent the consciousness of the PDP that every member would be proud of”, he said.

He thanked the various group for the show of solidarity and charged the council leadership to ensure their subject collects their PVC’s in their various wards and units.

“I, therefore, urged you to reach out and show love among your kith and kins and also sustain your support for PDP which is the only party that has brought development to the state since the inception of democratic governance”.

• The Nation report