JOE EFFIONG, UYO
Many disgruntled  members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom state have defected to the Young Democratic Party (YPP) following the declaration at the weekend by Senator Bassey Akpan to contest the 2023 governorship election of tte state on that party’s platform.
Among those defecting include the member representing Ikono/Ini federal constituency,  Mr Emmanuel Ukpong Udo, and the member of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly representing Ikono state constituency, Mr Asuquo Nana Udoh, who joined thousands of others aggrieved hitherto members PDP, APC and other parties  to announce their defection toYPP at a reception rally held at Ifa Ikot Akpan, Uyo local government area for Sen Albert.
Messrs Emmanuel Ukpong and Asuquo Nana Udoh, like many of the defectors,  could not  however secure the ticket of their erstwhile, party, the PDP,  to return to the House of Reps and the State House of Assembly, respectively.
 At the event which had a chieftain of YPP, Senator Ifeanyi Uba and the state chairman of the party, Mr Nyenime Andy, the national chairman of YPP, Bishop Emmanuel Amakiri   formally received Senator Akpan, former chief of staff to Governor  Udom Emmanuel, Akparawa Ephraim Inyangeyen, former House of Representatives member,  Mr Emmanuel Ekon,  a former commissioner for science and technology, Samuel Efffanga, alongside several others across the 31 local government areas into YPP.
Andy, the state chairman of YPP, who was also the gubernatorial candidate of the party,  announced that he was stepping down for Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, popularly called OBA by his admirers.
The carnival-like event which held eexactly fifteen days after OBA decamped from his former party, PDP, over 10,000 others from different parties including PDP, APC and others, announced their mass defection to YPP.
The national chairman of the party charged the people that YPP has come to stay in Akwa Ibom state.
According to Amakiri, time has come for every young progressive Nigerian to take his destiny in his hands. He also expressed the pleasure that the masses have decided to rally round their  son, OBA, to liberate Akwa Ibom from its current quagmire.
He described OBA as the best person that can take Akwa Ibom to its desired destination and urged the people to eschew and resist vote buying because it brought Nigeria to its present misfortune.
Addressing the  rally, Sen Akpan currently representing Akwa Ibom North East (Uyo) district elected on the platform of PDP. said that in line with the electoral laws, he  willingly offered himself as an aspirant in the upcoming primaries for substitution, following  Andy’s withdrawal of his candidacy.
He assured the delegates that if given the chance at the primary, he would not disappoint the party, adding that as a governor, all the civil servants  would  treated to social justice and welfare.
He also assured the  people of Eket, Uyo and Ikot Ekpene Senatorial Districts of fairness and equity in the next dispensation.
The senator announced plans to work with others on the theme of “3Rs”, promising to “recover Akwa Ibom, reconcile Akwa Ibom back to God and reposition Akwa Ibom for greatness”.
He said the next government would banish hunger, insecurity, hardship and injustice from Akwa Ibom.
OBA decried a situation the current government has refused to pay imprests to the workers for over 18 months and owed over N18 billion in pensions.
While  declaring that YPP will defeat PDP  in all the units, OBA promised to clear gratuities and pensions as well as arrears of promotions as governor.
Mkpisong Ephraim Inyang, who spoke on behalf of other defectors, promised that together with OBA, “we will make the difference “.
The event was preceded by the official unveiling of the state YPP secretariat and OBA’s campaign office both on Four Lanes, Uyo