5000 MEMBERS DUMP APC, JOIN PDP IN AKWA IBOM STATE.

Ahead of the 2019 general elections, the structure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Obot Akara Local Government Area collapsed at the weekend with the defection of all the chapter chairmen and leaders as well as over 5,000 others who pitched their tent  with ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

It was at the ceremony held at the weekend at Nto Edino, headquarters of the Local Government, whereby the political leader of the Local Government, Obong Chris Ekpenyong, who doubles as the PDP candidate for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District (Akwa Ibom North-West), joined other party leaders to receive the decampees.

Others include the PDP State Chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo; the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Sir Monday Ebong Uko and other chieftains of the party.

The PDP chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo, who received the ex-APC Ward leaders and others, assured them of adequate protection and welfare in the PDP, adding that it was time for everyone to close rank in order to defeat opposition forces in Akwa Ibom.

He noted that “Akwa Ibom, as a PDP State since 1999 must not be allowed to sink under the influence of the opposition”. He to further assured the decampees of a comfortable place in the party.

“Our umbrella is big enough to contain everybody, so you are welcome to where your future will be secured because we are ready to accommodate all who are willing to embrace a people – oriented government with the big heart to spread the dividends of democracy to all and sundry”, Ekpo assured.

Also, the political leader of the Council and former Deputy Governor of the State, Engr. Chris Ekpenyong, lauded the decision of the former APC leaders to lead hundreds of others into the ruling PDP in the state and enjoined them to ensure they bring their ingenuity to bear in the task of ensuring the part retains its hegemony in Akwa Ibom.

He assured them of a comfortable place in the PDP, even as he vowed that “the party will carry everybody along when the forces trying to hijack the state are resoundingly defeated in 2019”.

“We are going into this contest together, so I want to urge all the decampees, who have seen the need to retrace their steps back into the ruling party that no one will be disappointed when the ship of victory berths in 2019.

“Governor Udom Emmanuel is resolute in the course of repositioning the state and to equitably distribute the resources and infrastructure across all the 31 Local Government Areas. And what I am appealing to you to do, is to embrace his second term mandate and my mandate to rescue the sinking ship that was abandoned by our brother, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

“You are already in the know about what the elders, leaders and stakeholders mandated me to do; to rescue the mandate by taking over at the Senate as your next representative in 2019, so that your pride, yearnings and aspirations will not die.

“I want to inform you that I am ready for the big task and I implore you that as you return to our party that we all built since 1999, every sentiment should be buried for the common goal of ensuring Akwa Ibom remains a PDP state with Udom Emmanuel, as your governor; Obong Chris Ekpenyong, as your senator for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District and all the PDP contenders in the House of Representatives, Senate and the House of Assembly”, he stressed.