BREAKING: Ikem, Top PDP Members Dump Party For APC

Lawrence Ukeh Ikem, a prominent member of the People's Democratic party, PDP in Obudu local government area of Cross River State has led thousands of his supporters to join the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Ikem who is the first cousin of Barr. Venatius Ikem, State Chairman of the opposition PDP in the state was received yesterday by the leader of APC in Cross River North Senatorial district and Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey.

Speaking at the defection rally held at the APC Secretariat in Obudu, the Deputy Governor thanked the defectors for embracing the broom revolution and charged them to continue to talk to those who are still in the opposition to join the party.

He said that Cross River has always been known for playing in the big league with the ruling party hence it was important for those in the opposition to embrace the APC to connect properly with the centre to attract things to the state.

Odey maintained that the Governor and leader of the party in the state, Sen. Bassey Otu is happy with the development and has declared the door of the party open for anybody who wants to join the party to support him to move the state forward.

While stating that all members of the party will be treated equally, he noted that the ten months of Governor Otu's administration has brought so much development to state and has made APC even more appealing to the people.

He assured that the Governor  was working hard to complete the ongoing Obudu Cargo International Airport,  revive the Obudu ranch resort amongst others to boost economic activities in the whole of northern Cross River.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Mr. Ikem said that there were impressed with the trajectory the state was moving understand the leadership of Gov. Otu hence their decision to move to his party to join hands with him to develop the state.

According to him, "we are happy with what the Governor is doing and for us, the greatest compliment we could give him was to join his party to support him to move the state forward.

Besides, the democratic tenets which held us together in the PDP have been eroded. we became fed up with  deception, victimization and subjugation, so we decided to liberate ourselves from the claws of selfish political desperados".

Amongst the leaders of PDP in Obudu that moved with Ikem to the APC are, Ushie Iklaki, Chris Akpabuo, Awhen Charles Ogah, Jonathan Ukpeipi, Sunny Izabi(Chapter auditor), Okuma Peter Oziro ( chapter ex_officio), Justin Attah, Hon Patrick Andor and Uke Sylvanus.

In attendance to welcome them to the APC alongside the Deputy Governor were APC chieftains including the deputy speaker of the Cross River house of Assembly, Hon. Sylvester Agabi, Special Adviser on Power to the Governor, Hon. Ken Aklah , immediate past Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Zana Akpagu, immediate past Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon. Martin Orim, the Chapter Chairman of APC in Obudu, Mr. Alpha Ubleble amongst others.