More Trouble For APC As Ita Giwa, BoT Member, 5,000 Others Dump Party For PDP

More politicians are ditching the ‘broom’ for the ‘umbrella’ as Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Mali, Soni Abang, and Barr. Tony Odey, among thousands of others, have dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State on Thursday.

Until his defection yesterday, Barr Odey was a former Board of Trustee member of the ruling APC in the state.

Also, Senator Patrick Ani, Hon. Ernest Irek and over 5, 000 supporters of the defectors were said to have pitched their tents with the PDP ahead of the general elections in 2019.

Senator Ita Giwa, who had previously served as Special Adviser to two former Presidents of Nigeria, said at the reception of the defectors: “I am back to ensure that the turn by turn policy is followed, as only zoning can sustain democracy without fight while creating opportunities for all to raise their heads.”

She said, “In over one year I went on that trip to APC, it wasn’t good for my body because a white goat loves no stain or dirt,” adding that “I feel guilty leaving this family as upon my return, so much love was shown to me and I was not shut out or looked down upon.”

Ita-Giwa added that, “I cannot fight Ayade because he made the hitherto abandoned Bakassi Local Government Area to be celebrated among the existing local government areas in the state and indeed Nigeria. I am back to sustain democracy, to join hands with Ayade to win elections, for the sustenance of carnival which is dear to me and for the governor’s industrialization drive.”

Speaking also, Ambassador Soni Abang said,“My supporters and I are happy to be back home. I had within the past few years withdrawn from active politics because when you marry a wife with a problem, staying in the same house becomes a problem, not to talk of going into the other room.”

Abang said, “PDP is a great family and there is no way Uche Secondus will be a national chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku contesting as President and Prof Ben Ayade coming as governor or Senator Imoke urging me to come back to the fold and I will say no,” the former envoy noted.

Speaking on his APC adventure, Abang said “while there, we couldn’t agree even on the party exco, we couldn’t conduct our primaries, the party does not respect court orders and today the same party is trying to cripple our judiciary,” adding that, “the national chairman of PDP today has redefined and remodeled the party as evidenced in the last national convention adjudged as the most transparent in the country.”

Another PDP returnee, Hon Ernest Irek, said “it is only the PDP that has a reward system and anything that has no reward system is not a better option.”

On ground to receive the new defectors were Cross Rivers State Governor, Ben Ayade, and the National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, among others.