CR North Bye-election: More Worries For Ayade As Thousands Dump PDP For Akpagu’s APC In Obudu

Thousands of members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) last weekend defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Obudu local government area as the race to the Senatorial bye-election to replace the late Senator Rose Oko who was representing Cross River North district gets more intriguing.

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River who is said to be interested in pushing his stooge in order to aid his chances in 2023 and a leading aspirant of the APC, Professor Zana Akpagu both hail from Obudu.

Akpagu currently sits as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar and is said to have massive followership having been a faithful party man in the PDP for over a decade before switching allegiance in 2015.

And, the defectors led by Charles Akeh, said that their decision to join the ruling APC is to strengthen the party in the area and work for Mr. Akpagu in the forthcoming bye-election.

“We will ensure that APC wins in Alege-Ubang during the senatorial bye-election. We will build on Professor Akpagu’s unmatched achievements and popularity to deliver APC,” Akeh said.

The defectors hail from the Alege-Ubang ward where the current Chief of Staff to Mr. Ayade, Mr. Martins Orim also hails from. And, in a bid to show its strength, the PDP is said to have masterminded the exiling of APC members after the 2019 general elections, a situation Reuben Okang said will not repeat itself given the personality of Mr. Akpagu.