Why I Dumped PDP For APC — Akpabio

Former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has said that his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC) has been a jolly movement which was made in the interest of the nation rather than selfish interest.

The former governor of Akwa Ibom State said his changing party has to do largely with his conviction to contribute his own quota to the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Akpabio said he saw a need to fraternise with the APC government because the administration has done more to the people of the South South than any the sixteen years of the PDP administration in the country.

As a leader, he stressed that he had to take the decision of dumping PDP to APC in interest of his people, having seen that the Buhari government has brought infrastructural development to Akwa Ibom State and the South South region.

He said these while clarifying his demand for a reorganisation of sitting arrangement in the Senate chamber.

Akpabio said: “I am excited by my jolly movement from the opposition to the ruling party. Now, I will be heard from the side of the Federal Government and not from partisan view. Whatever I say will be viewed from patriotic point of view.

“I move in the interest of the nation. I saw the plight where many of many colleagues see defection as a weapon to disrupt the Buhari administration.

“I moved to stabilise the polity. The PDP government in 16 years did not give a serious appointment to people from my state. This government has given a number of appointments to people of Akwa Ibom State.

Today, we have the minister of National Planning, Senior Special Assistant to President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission and so on”.

In terms of infrastructural development, he said the APC administration has embarked on many roads in the South South including the Ikot Ekpene- Calabar road.

He said he had to join such a government to facilitate more development to his people, adding “to whom much is given, much is expected”.