The leadership of the Cross River State House of Assembly have made their intention known to join the State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade in the All Progressives Congress (APC).
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports leadership of the House announced their defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC shortly after Governor Ayade defected to the ruling party.
Ayade had while announcing his defection to the APC ordered all leaders formerly with him in the PDP to fall back to their respective wards for registration as members of APC.
The Governor officially announced his defection to the APC over perceived fracas with Rivers State Governor Wike. His announcement followed a meeting he had with 7 Governors of the ruling party.
Ayade made the announcement in Calabar, capital of the State, and was received by Yobe Governor and APC caretaker Committee Chair, Mai Mala Buni.
Aside from the leadership of the Cross River State House of Assembly that has joined Ayade in the APC, some prominent leaders in the State have also left the PDP.
TNG reports Steve Odey, Legor Idagbo and Mike Etaba all joined Gov Ayade and the leadership of the Cross River State House of Assembly into the APC.
Speaking on the development, an elated Mai Mala Buni, APC’s interim chairman and governor of Yobe State, said he and his team were in the state to formally welcome Governor Ayade to the APC.
TNG reports Buni and seven APC Governors had held a two-hour meeting with Ayade at the Cross River State Executive Council Chamber, Governor’s Office in Calabar prior to his defection.
His words: “I am here on behalf of the APC family to welcome His Excellency the Executive Governor of Cross River State formally to the APC. As from today he is the leader of the party in the state.”
Other APC governors who witnessed the event were Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Solomon Lalong of Plateau State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and his Jigawa state counterpart, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar.
Also present was the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylver.
Others at the meeting were the state deputy governor, Prof Ivara Esu, Speaker of the state house of assembly, Rt. Hon. Eteng Williams Jones and members of the state house of assembly, some National Assembly members, members of the Cross River State Executive Council members, local Government chairmen, councilors and some stakeholders, including Dame Princess Florence Ita-Giwa and High Chief Asuquo Ekpenyong amongst others.