Chairman of the Forum of All Progressives Congress chapter chairmen, Joseph Ama, allegedly led over 20,000 former members of the party to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom. Patrick Andrew reports
Said to be protesting against the defection of former Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, Ama, dragged his forum’s chairmen throughout the 31 local government areas of the state,.
Their complaints
We are threatened by the memories of the insecurity, kidnapping, murders and other vices which took over the state during Akpabio’s administration.
“We quit the APC because we are children of peace.We were very comfortable in the party and suddenly three killers who didn’t allow Akwa Ibom to exist peacefully during their time as governor and key players in that government, defected to the APC and started their kidnapping again.
“As I am talking to you now, three of our friends are in the mortuary due to the tension they brought into the primaries.
“If we allow them, Akwa Ibom people may no longer be able to sleep with their eyes closed. That is why we want to join hands with you to keep the peace you have restored to the state alive.”
In his speech Ama also disclosed that the decampees were the APC support base built up since 2008 and inherited from the days of the ACN, adding that the people of Uyo would not be fooled anymore by anyone.
He said that he and the defectors were thrown aback by the level of impunity rampant in the APC since the defection of Akpabio to the APC and the deaths that have occurred within the party.
Moreover the chapter chairman of the APC in Itu Local government area, Sunday Okon Uyire, said it was practically impossible for him and his Exco members to remain in the same party with those who in 2011, allegedly schemed to kill them.
Uyire vowed that all the officers who served with them will join hands with the PDP under the leadership of the governor to ensure the victory of the party in the 2019 elections.
“As we are here, we want to sound a warning to APC that as they are boasting that they have “federal might”, we also want to them to note that we will match them with ‘Unity might’ to deliver Udom as Governor in 2019 elections because Akwa Ibom is our state.
“They promised us 31 industries but delivered none, they killed our political leaders, they invaded churches to kidnap children, invaded thrones to kill our royal fathers,” he said.
Speaking to the decampees, Governor Emmanuel expressed delight at the voluntary nature of their action. He pointed out that such an action could only be motivated by real conviction.
They’re fake decampees- APC
Barely 24 hours after some 20,000 members of APC led by Forum chairmen allegedly dumped the party for the PDP, some of the alleged defectors mocked saying those paraded were fake. Patrick Andrew, brings highlight
Press Conference
Addressing a press conference Tuesday at the APC Campaign Ground, Uyo, the leader of the officials, Engr. Uduakobong Okpo, described the purported Monday defection rally as a ‘charade’ saying that it was a situation where PDP members defected to PDP.
He explained that the former Chairman of forum of Chairmen, Joseph Amah who had the privilege of having the list of all the officials and members of APC submitted same list to gov. Emmanuel deceiving him that all of them were joining PDP.
Pointing at members who followed him to the press conference, Okpo said, “my name including the names of these people here with me and those outside this room were in that list submitted to the governor.
“About 28 of us, Idara Udo was mentioned, see him here, Udo and Mishael were all mentioned even the former chapter chairman of Etim Ekpo and so many of us here that I cannot mention their names because of time are all here with us and their names were in the list of those who defected to the PDP.
“As a matter of fact, one of our colleagues had his child dedication and all of us were in Eket on Sunday till Monday, up till the time they were having that charade, called defection at the Ibom Hall. Is it possible for one to be in two places at the same time?
“That was just PDP defecting to PDP, they just hired a crowd enlisted our names to collect money from the governor but the truth is that we are still intact.
“We want to say emphatically that we have never defected to the PDP and we don’t have plans to do such. My people are still with me and we are waxing stronger everyday. Our ranks can only swell but cannot be depleted by PDP.
“We are working hard in APC to return President Muhhamadu Buhari as the President in 2019, Obong Nsima Ekere as the governor and all our National and state representatives.”
Okpo said it was unfortunate that PDP fell prey to the antics of such deceptors, attributing it to panic that has set into the party (PDP).
It is neither surprising nor unusual for the PDP leaders to make false claims. So we are neither shock nor take by surprise that they make the false claim. We know those they paraded are fake members of the APC, in fact, it is best to say some PDP members were simply defecting to the PDP. Isn’t that madness?
