The lawmaker announced his decision to leave the PDP last week, but his letter, dated July 18, was officially received at the Senate on Wednesday
By Queen Esther Iroanusi
The senator representing Akwa Ibom North East, Bassey Akpan, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Young People’s Party (YPP).
Although Mr Akpan announced his decision to leave the PDP last week, his letter, dated July 18, was officially received at the Senate on Wednesday.
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, read out the letter during the plenary on Wednesday.
His defection, Mr Akpan said, took effect from July 15 and is due to agitations amongst members of the party who were dissatisfied with the absence of a level playing field during the governorship primaries in the state.
While he acknowledged that the PDP offered him opportunities to serve in several capacities, he said “the centre can no longer hold in the Akwa-lbom State chapter of the PDP since the party hierarchy decided to adopt and favour only one preferred candidate before and during the governorship primaries.”
“The determination of the state chapter of the party to support the preferred candidate could not even be halted by every attempt to call for a level playing field and its associated controversies, he explained.
“In view of the foregoing, the agitations have led to serious rancor and some steep differences in the ranks of the party and this had presented me with a compelling reason to consult my people on our future in the PDP.”
The lawmaker also said his supporters had encouraged him to contest for governor but” events leading to the party primaries for the governorship made it impossible to participate in the primaries.”
“As a result of the foregoing, I resigned my membership of the PDP and now joined the Young Progressives Party (YPP) which now becomes my new party,” the letter read.
Although, he nutured a governorship ambition, Mr Akpan’s aspiration in the PDP was a threat to Governor Udom Emmanuel’s preferred successor, Umo Eno.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how some PDP members in the state, mainly Mr Akpan’s supporters, had challenged the conduct of an ad hoc delegates election held on April 30, which they said contravened the party’s constitution.
While the Federal High Court in Abuja directed parties in the suit to “maintain status quo antebellum” pending the hearing and determination of the suit, the PDP went on to conduct the primaries in the state.
The lawmaker, however, refused to take part in the primary, citing the order of the court.
The judge, Obiora Egwuatu, had ruled that the plaintiffs, having not participated in the delegates’ election, lacked the locus standi to institute the suit.
The court also held that the suit lacked merit.
Credit, except headline: Premium Times.
