Two former Members of the House of Representatives from Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Esio Oquong Udoh and Elder Bassey Etim, on Saturday defected to the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) with their supporters.
The duo defected during the first symbolic meeting of the Akwa Ibom State Executive Committee of the APC presided over by the National Vice-Chairman (South-South Zone) of the party, Ntufam Hilliard Eta, who represented the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, shortly after the commissioning of the new state party secretariat in Uyo.
Etim said he defected with over 2,000 supporters to assist the APC sweep Akwa Ibom State in all elections in 2019.
Esio equally pledged to work assiduously for the success of President Muhammadu Buhari and all other APC candidates in the elections.
Receiving the defectors, Eta assured them of the same rights and privileges enjoyed by older members of the party.
He commended Etim for taking a bold decision and stressed that with the entry of Esio, the Political Leader of Urue Offong/Oruko Local Government Area, Oro Nation, the third largest ethnic group in Akwa Ibom State, was complete in the APC.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Nsima Ekere, pointed out that history was being made that day as the same set of distinguished and patriotic Akwa Ibom politicians that gathered 20 years at the same building, then housing the PDP State Secretariat, to strategize and lead the PDP to victory in all the elections in 1999 were again gathering to strategize and plan to take the APC to victory in the 2019 elections.
Ekere, who seconded a motion “empowering the APC for the purpose of winning elections and occupying Government House” moved by a former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Senator John Udoedehe, lauded the spirit of unity exhibited by APC leaders in the state.
The APC State Chairman, Mr. Ini Okopido, expressed joy that the APC victory in the July 14, 2018 Ekiti State gubernatorial election had sent strong signals to Akwa Ibom State and other Niger Delta states.
The Political Leader of Etinan Local Government Area, Otuekong Sunny Jackson Udoh, commended APC leaders, particularly Ekere and Udoedehe, for their efforts to ensure unity in the party.
The event was attended by the Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly (Senate) Affairs, Senator Ita Enang, the APC National Auditor, Chief George Moghalu, the National Youth Leader, Alhaji Sadiq Abubakar, South-South zonal and state officials and other chieftains of the party.
CREDIT: INEMESIT INA
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