Ahead of the 2023 general elections, about 5,000 All Progressives Congress (APC) members have reportedly defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Northern Senatorial District of Cross River.
It was gathered that the defectors include former APC wards and chapter officers, women leaders, leaders of Hausa community in Ogoja, Yala, Bekwarra, Obanliku and Obudu as well as LP candidates in the last Ogoja/Yala federal Constituency and aspirants in the last congresses.
Quest Times understands that this is coming at a time the APC Presidential flag-bearer Bola Tinubu is making frantic moves to get a bulk of votes from the Southern region come 2023.
Receiving the defectors at TTC field Igoli-Ogoja on Saturday, the Vice Chairman of PDP Northern Senatorial district, Chief Austine Edibe, lauded them for their courage to join the party in the nick of time.
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He enjoined them to go back to their respective wards and work for the success of the PDP in 2023, adding that the wards that deliver the highest votes would be rewarded with more dividends of democracy.
Also welcoming the defectors, Sen Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, advised them to be loyal to party leadership at their various wards and be steadfast, assuring them of more empowerment programmes to accommodate them.
“This is the time for the defectors to tie their belts and reject any form of inducements in readiness for the battle ahead,” Jarigbe told Vanguard newspaper.