Seven members of the House of Representatives, Akwa Ibom State caucus, on Thursday, formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Young Progressives Party (YPP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who confirmed this during the opening of plenary, read the letters sent by the seven Akwa Ibom Reps members.
The Akwa Ibom Reps members are: Hon. Unyime Idem, Hon. Martin Esin, Hon. Paul Ekpo, Hon. Uduak Alphonsos, Hon. Eteh Ikpong, Hon. Emmanuel Udom and Hon. Okon Bassey.
Recall that Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State had earlier defected from the PDP to the ruling party.
Eno said his defection followed “three months of wide consultation” with stakeholders across the state.
He thanked the PDP for their support since the beginning of his administration, but noted that it was time for a “progressive move.”
The governor’s statement read, “After completing the rounds of my consultation as your servant whom you have elected to serve, I have therefore decided to progressively move to the APC.
“We’re joining the APC today in the state interest and because of our critical admiration and respect for President Tinubu and to provide the needed support for Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
“We are not joing the APC from the position of weakness but from the position of strength and alive. We are joining the APC out of a need to align our state with the center.”
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