Ayade: PDP urges members in Cross Rivers State to remain united

• …..As Ndoma Egba hails defection

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has called on all critical stakeholders and teeming members of the party in Cross Rivers State to immediately pull together and ensure that every structure of party in the state remains intact.
The PDP made the call following yesterday’s defection of the State’s Governor, Ben Ayade from the party to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan in Abuja wished Governor Ayade well in his new political sojourn as well as in his future endeavours.
The terse statement by the party reads, “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) notes the decamping of the Cross Rivers State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade.
“Our party calls on all critical stakeholders and teeming members of our party in Cross Rivers State to immediately pull together and ensure that every structure of our party in the state remains intact.
“The PDP wishes Governor Ayade well in his new political sojourn as well as in his future endeavours”, it concluded.
Meanwhile, former Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, applauded the decision of the Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, to join the ruling party at the centre, All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement issued on Thursday, Ndoma-Egba, the Secretary, APC 2018 National Convention Planning Committee, said: “On behalf of myself and political associates, I heartily congratulate Your Excellency, Senator Prof. Ben Ayade, Governor of Cross River State on your well thought out decision to formally defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) today and join the league of Progressive Governors in Nigeria.“Your Excellency will recall that Cross River State has always been in the mainstream of Nigeria politics. There is no gainsaying the fact that the past 6 years of being in the opposition has impacted the State negatively, even though you have consciously navigated the ship of governance in sync with the APC-led Federal Government. As a State, we can ill afford to remain in the opposition. I commend you for recognizing this fact and doing the needful for the good of our dear State.”
TheAPC chieftain, who is the Chairman of the Peace, Reconciliation and Rehabilitation Committee on the Ebom/Ebijaghara and Ediba/Usumutong communal crisis recently constituted by Ayade, added: “As you join us in the Progressives fold, my expectation is that your coming will enrich our internal democracy and I enjoin you to be consultative, inclusive, democratic, transparent and accountable because these are the hallmarks of the All Progressives Congress family. I also expect that your presence in the APC will further strengthen the party and improve our electoral fortunes in Cross River State. “I have no doubts that the APC family in the State has received you with open arms and will work with you to reposition our dear State on the path of unprecedented socioeconomic and sociopolitical development.
“Our core objective remains forging a stronger, united and formidable APC that will deliver the dividends of good governance to all Cross Riverians irrespective of political affiliation, ethnicity and religion.
“I trust that you are well in tandem with this. Once again, congratulations and welcome to the All Progressives Congress”, he said.