PDP Leader Joins APC in Akwa Ibom

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State last Saturday suffered a devastating blow with the defection of the party’s leader in Ika Local Government Area, Dr. Francis Udoikpong.

Udoikpong, a PDP state caucus member and former state Commissioner for Health, defected with about 5,000 others including Sir Godwin Idungafa, a former Ika Local Government Area Vice Chairman, Mr Harry Eduo; a former Ika Local Government Area Secretary and Councillor, Mr. Uyo Udom, a long-standing lawyer and politician.

The defection of the Ika local government area PDP leader is coming barely a month after former Deputy Inspector-General of Police Udom Ekpoudom (rtd) and Obong Otu Robert Akpan, his counterparts in Etim Ekpo and Ini Local Government areas, respectively, joined the APC together with Senator Godswill Akpabio, the former Senate Minority Leader.

Udoikpong, also a former Chairman of Ika Local Government and immediate past Chairman of the State Agency for the Control of AIDS (SACA) who spoke on behalf of the defectors, said they were leaving the PDP because the Governor Udom Emmanuel administration had completely neglected Ika, a boundary local government area with Abia State, in the scheme of things and infrastructure.

He condemned the inclusion of their names in the Emmanuel gubernatorial campaign organisation without their consent and demanded that their names be removed.

The state Chairman of APC, Mr Ini Okopido, who received the defectors, said with their coming, Ika is now completely APC.