“Let’s see how the party will win” – 22 gov’norship aspirants dump Akwa Ibom PDP

by Azubuike Azikiwe

Twenty two disgruntled governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom State, known as G-22, have defected from PDP to All Progressives Congress.

The defecting politicians are to meet the APC’s presidential candidate, Major-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, January 12.

The defection of the 22 governorship aspirants of the PDP was caused by the controversial December 8, 2014 primary election in the state.

The aspirants are Benjamin Okoko, Nsima Ekere, Patrick Ekpotu, Senator Helen Esuene, Ambassador Assam Assam (SAN), Chris Abasi-Eyo, Ekpenyong Ntekim, Effiong Abia, Prof. Richard King, Asuquo Asuquo Okpo, Anietie Johny Ufot, Larry Esin, Samuel Udonsak, Jerome Isangedighi, Dr. Peter Esuh, Effiong Usin, David Okpon, Ita Udoh, Ime Ekanem, Micheal Sebastine Etuk, Hon. O. Etteh and Chief Ime Albert Akpan.

One of the aspirants said their decision was based on the way they were treated by the PDP in the state, adding that President Goodluck Jonathan could not find a solution to the crisis.

He said the crisis came to a head on January 6, 2015 when Jonathan, after scheduling to meet with them, later declined to do so.

The aspirant said: “The President’s last minute decision was said to have been masterminded by a fifth columnist. It could be recalled that the (members of) the G22 have been in Abuja since December 9, 2014. Both the party leadership and the President are playing games with them without finding a political solution to the issues and without using the party’s mechanism to redress their complaints.”

“This inhuman treatment is only meted out to G22. How could the President, who had met with individuals like Senator (Musiliu) Obanikoro and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume not meet 22 aspirants of the party? Is the President saying that they do not count? Then let us see how the party will win in Akwa Ibom State.”

The 22 aggrieved PDP aspirants had on December 8, 2014 protested against the governorship primaries, saying the exercise lacked transparency, and had accused the party of using a fake delegates’ list.

They also made allegations that the party leadership did not disclose the venue of the primaries to other aspirants before the time of the election.

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