Akwa Ibom APC stakeholders deny joining PDP as defectors allege threat to lives

Some All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders in Akwa Ibom State have described claims that 20,000 members of the party defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state as ‘fraudulent’, insisting that they remain committed members of the APC.

Addressing newsmen in Eket following the purported reception of APC members at the Ibom Hall Grounds in Uyo, the members comprising former chapter chairmen, secretaries and other officers refuted the defection claim.

Speaking on behalf of the stakeholders from the 31 local government areas of the state, former senatorial aspirant in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, Uduakobong Akpoho, said the Ibom Hall event was a charade packaged to mislead members of the public.

“We convened this media briefing to refute PDP claims that our members have joined them. We are founding members of the APC. Our party is intact,” he stated.

Also speaking, APC Youth Leader, Eket Senatorial District, Idara Udoh, said the PDP hired the crowd at Ibom Hall and challenged the party to provide evidence to counter his assertion.

Meanwhile, barely 48 hours after their defection to the PDP, former state chapters and wards’ officers of the APC have alleged that the party’s agents are threatening their lives.

Leader of the team, Joseph T. Ama from Onna Local Government Area, disclosed this during a media briefing at the PDP state secretariat in Uyo yesterday.

Over 20,000 APC supporters and officers at state and ward levels had defected to PDP on Monday for which Governor Udom Emmanuel commended them for what he described as a bold decision.

Udom noted that the defectors took the decision in the best interest of Akwa Ibom state and urged them to stand up in defense of their fatherland at all times.

Speaking on behalf of 24 other chapter officers across the council areas of the state, Ama said APC’s action may not be unconnected with the pressure mounted on them not to defect, which they rejected.

He further explained that the attack on some of the defectors took place in Nsit Atai, Ibesikpo Asutan, Eket and Ikot Ekpene council areas, where members were molested on their way from the event on Monday.

Responding to the alleged attack, the state Police Public Relations Officer
(PPRO), Macdon Ogbeche, told The Guardian that he was not aware of any attack, saying the command had not received any reports of an attack, adding that such incidents should be promptly reported to the nearest police station for necessary action.