Not less than 5,000 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Nsit Atai local government area of Akwa Ibom State, Monday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mr. Ini Okopido, state chairman of the party, received the decampees in a ceremony organised to welcome the new members at the Customary Court Ground, Odot village in the area.
Worthy of note were Obong Sunny Elijah, Prince Sonny Osom, Rt.Hon. Asuquo Darby Udo, Mrs. Sarah Elijah, an immediate past house of assembly member, serving Local Government Supervisor, 52 PDP Party Officials, 50 Former Ward Executives, amongst other decampees.
The defectors who took turns to speak, expressed their excitement in their decision to join the new platform and pledged to abide by the rules and tenets of the party.
While assuring to deliver the area to the APC in 2019 elections, the new members pleaded with the leadership of the party to carry all members along in the scheme of things.
“There is a way we play politics here. Nobody goes for a second term in any office. Even if you try, you will not be able to pull through. But the PDP came and tampered with that zoning arrangement that we had running for many years. This is why we have decided to dump the party and join the APC,” Mrs. Sarah had said.
Immediate past Senate minority leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who witnessed the occasion, expressed his elation at the massive turn out of people at the event and was optimistic that the APC had taken over the area.
While reacting to the billboard controversies in the state, the former governor of the state, said the PDP could only tear down the campaign billboards of the APC but could not tear the votes of the people.
“I came to witness the uncommon defection in Nsit Atai. If anyone in Nsit Atai remain in the PDP, it will just be messengers carrying files. All the General managers and directors are out. The generals in politics are out; even the recruits will join soon. What has impressed me here today is the large turn out of people. I know that this local government has turned 100 percent APC.
“If you come from the airport road, you will see that all the posters of the APC and that of our incoming governor have been torn. Do not worry because INEC has assured us that they will not be able to tear your votes,” he stated.
Akpabio, who urged the people to support the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari, lashed out at the PDP for not bringing any federal projects to the state in the 16 years of its reign in spite of the support it enjoyed from the people.
“Imagine me as a governor of Akwa Ibom State for eight years; I left behind over N200bn that I used to intervene in federal projects, yet not one naira was given to me by the PDP government. In 16 years, not one kilometer of road was tarred in Akwa Ibom state by that government in spite of your support.
“We are talking about a party that believes in transforming Akwa Ibom; the party that believes in protecting the rights of minorities,” Akpabio said.
