Following the official defection of Godswill Akpabio, the former Senate Minority Leader, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State has directed the Ukana-West Ward Two in Essien Udim Local Government Area, to delete his name from the party’s membership register.
It has also mandated that the personal staff, relatives or former employees of the erstwhile governor, who were showcased as co-defectors at the Ikot Ekpene Township Stadium, be delisted forthwith from its register.
The PDP, in a statement by Ini Ememobong, state publicity secretary, and made available to Daily Independent in Uyo, thanked Akpabio for his loyalty to the party.
It said that contrary to Akpabio’s claims, the Speaker and 24 members of Akwa Ibom House of Assembly and National Assembly from the state are intact except those the party referred to as “people with heavy return challenges in their constituencies.”
Meanwhile, the party has resolved to commence legal action to activate the Provision of Section 68 of the 1999 Constitution as amended as it relates to erring legislators.
“With the speech of Senator Godswill Akpabio announcing his resignation from our great party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) andindicating hisimmediate membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), thestateexecutivecommittee has directed the Ukana West ward 2 in Essien Udim Local Government Area to delete his name from the membership register of our party”.
“For the few persons (all of whom were either his personal staff, relatives or former employees) whom he showcased as co-defectors, their respective ward chairmen are charged to immediately delist them from our register.
“We thank the Senator for showing gratitude to us for making him who he was until his defection, but strongly reject the assertion that the entire members of the National and state assemblies were joining him- that was either a very expensive joke or an outright lie, both of which we take serious exceptions to.
“The Speaker and other 24 members of the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly are intact, leaving him with the two members whom he introduced on that stage, while the members of the National Assembly are intact except, the senator’s representative and one other member of the House of Representatives, both of whom are having very heavy return challenges in their constituencies”, the statement read.
Daily Independent
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