Some APC officials in Akwa Ibom distance selves from defecting to PDP

Some officials in the All Progressives Congress APC, in Akwa Ibom
state who were reported to have decamped to the Peoples Democratic
Party on Monday have denied engaging in such a move.

Addressing a press conference the following day (Tuesday) at APC
campaign ground Uyo, the leader of the officials, Engr. Uduakobong
Okpo, described the purported Monday defection rally as a 'charade'
saying that it was a situation where PDP members defected to PDP.

He explained that the former Chairman of forum of Chairmen, Joseph
Amah who had the privilege of having the list of all the officials and
members of APC submitted same list to gov. Emmanuel deceiving him that
all of them were joining PDP.

Pointing at members who followed him to the press conference, Okpo
said, "my name including the names of these people here with me and
those outside this room were in that list submitted to the governor.

"About 28 of us, Idara Udo was mentioned, see him here, Udo and
Mishael were all mentioned even the former chapter chairman of Etim
Ekpo and so many of us here that I cannot mention their names because
of time are all here with us and their names were in the list of those
who defected to the PDP.

"As a matter of fact, one of our colleagues had his child dedication
and all of us were in Eket on Sunday till Monday, up till the time
they were having that charade, called defection at the Ibom Hall. Is
it possible for one to be in two places at the same time?

"That was just PDP defecting to PDP, they just hired a crowd enlisted
our names to collect money from the governor but the truth is that we
are still intact.

"We want to say emphatically that we have never defected to the PDP
and we don't have plans to do such. My people are still with me and we
are waxing stronger everyday. Our ranks can only swell but cannot be
depleted by PDP.

"We are working hard in APC to return President Muhhamadu Buhari as
the President in 2019, Obong Nsima Ekere as the governor and all our
National and state representatives."

Okpo said it was unfortunate that PDP fell prey to the antics of such
deceptors, attributing it to panic that has set into the party (PDP).