The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sent a farewell message to Cross River Governor, Ben Ayade, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday.
In their parting message, the PDP said they wish him well as they urged members left in the state to remain united following the governor’s defection.
The PDP made this known in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Thursday.
Ologbondiyan urged the members to ensure that all structures of the party in the state remained intact.
The statement titled ‘Ayade: PDP Urges Members in Cross Rivers State to Remain United’ read, ”The @OfficialPDPNig 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 all structures of our party in the state remain intact.
“The @OfficialPDPNig wishes Governor Ayade well in his new political sojourn as well as in his future endeavours.”
Meanwhile, Ayade has said he expects more governors from the PDP to join him at the APC.
Speaking late Thursday, Ayade said: “I am happy to announce to you that very soon, more governors are joining (the APC), because what we want to achieve is a country where we all can sit with the President and agree on our succession process, we don’t have to fight.”
“Just watch out, you will see; you will just realise that I know what I am saying.
He denied the claim that he moved to the ruling party after he suffered a huge loss at the recent PDP congress held in his state.
“I have just joined the party today and my experience so far, I feel so happy to have been in this APC today. As to whether there were issues in PDP, no; the party stood by me all the way.
“All the chairmen of the local governments, almost all the House of Assembly members, most of the National Assembly members, my entire commissioners and cabinet today; that is the amount of the political structure. In Cross River State, once the governor moves, everybody moves,” he added.
Recall that the same claim was made by Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi when he also dumped the PDP for the APC some months ago.
