Over 1000 APC Members Defect To PDP In Cross River South
By Ndifereke BASSEY
The People's Democratic Party ( PDP) in Cross River state appears to be gathering steam as over 1000 members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have defected to the leading opposition party.
The APC members and supporters, all from the seven local governemnt areas of the Southern Senatorial District, were received by the State Working Committee (SWC) at party Secretariat on Friday, July 26,2024.
The defectors were led by Mr Abel Bassey, former Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth Mobilization, Southern Senatorial District Cross River State.
Speaking, Abel Bassey, the leader of the group, said some members of his group came to be received by the leadership of the party before going back to their wards.
He said they have seen the great works of the leadership of the party and are encouraged to come back.
He added that their work is to mobilise members door-to-door and ensure the PDP reclaims the state.
Receiving the defectors, the State Chairman Barr. Venatius Ikem, thanked them for joining this great party, explaining that PDP lost the last elections because of internal party crisis which has been resolved.
Vena said: "PDP remains the leading party in the state and the issues that lead to their loss in the last general elections were internal.
"The internal issues have largely been resolved and the defection of former members back to the party is testament to it. Our silence in the state is both strategic and calculated.
"In the past one year, our house has been put back in order and when people see this they begin to troupe in", he said.
According to him, the defectors are the first delegation to return when it's house is in order and commended them for their exceptional courage to return.
Also speaking, Ekpo Ada, the chairman of registration for the southern senatorial district, said those in the Secretariat are ward coordinators across the seven local government areas of the south.
He added that all of them are former members who left the party for various reasons and having tasted the other side have elected to come back on their own.
