Cross River: People Voted For Me Because They Wanted Change, Not Because I was in Labour Party, Says Rep Akiba

By Ndifereke BASSEY

Member representing Calabar Municipality/Odukpani federal constituency, Hon. Bassey Akiba, has stated unequivocally that people voted for him in the last 2023 National Assembly election because they wanted change and not because he was in Labour Party (LP).

Akiba, who spoke on the crisis in his former Labour Party (LP), stated that his defection to APC was a homecoming and it would enable him to deliver the dividends of democracy to his constituents.

According to him, "I am a founding member of the APC. We started the APC and In 2019 APC gave me ticket yo run. I was sacrificed In 2023 because of political Interest that Is why I defected to the Labour Party.

"I needed an Inclusive process to deliver the dividends of democracy yo my constituents. Because it is impossible to produce results with a dysfunctional system.

"The people did not vote me because of Labour Party, They voted me because they wanted a change. The people of Calabar Municipality/ Odukpani federal constituency are more Interested in delivery than In lolitical affiliations. 

"I had support across board from all political parties. The Bulk of the support I had, came from the Christian community. 

"In my letter on the floor of the House during the defection, I told them clearly that Governor Bassey Otu Is doing tremendously well and that informed my decision to facilitate the active partnership and collaboration with Senator Bassey Edet Otu’s led- administration for the benefit of the people," he stated.