TheCable

Godswill Akpabio, former governor of Akwa Ibom state, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking at an APC rally organised in the state on Wednesday, the former senate minority leader said he joined the ruling party to take the south-south to the centre.

He added that he moved to the APC alongside the members of  the national assembly from the state “because of the interest of the people of the state.”

The senator also accused some of his colleagues who were at the National Assembly Complex on Tuesday of taking tramadol.

He wondered why the lawmakers would be there when the national assembly is on recess.

He was particular on the case of Ben Bruce, senator representing Bayelsa east, who alleged he was behind the alleged plot to impeach Senate President Bukola Saraki.

The senator said: “I shouldn’t have mentioned his name but because he believes in lies, Ben Bruce, he should come and complete the Tropicana, a tourist facility in Akwa Ibom. How can I stay in my house and he starts shouting that I am in the national assembly just to damage my name?

“I was inside a plane to join you yesterday and he was shouting look at what Akpabio is doing to us.

“I cannot be a terrorist. I don’t know what they were doing at the national assembly. Some of them went there and were without shoes. I am a man of peace.

“I even called security to help take them home, because some of them must have taken Tramadol. Please, I was never at the national assembly. By right, they should be at home because we are on recess.”

‘PDP WELCOMING DESTROYERS’

The senator further accused his former party of welcoming those that “destroyed” it during the 2015 elections.

He said this was part of why he left the party.

“I have taken the decision to be here today in the national interest. My brothers that I have left behind in the PDP, I know I should say ‘heeyaah’,” he said, adding: “But I thank the PDP that gave me the platform to come and stand with you. And I want the PDP to have a reward system.”

“In the PDP, I was so shocked when one of those who destroyed our party in 2015 brought some and take a hall in Hilton for a party. I said what is going on? I am the leader and I am not aware. They said we are welcoming defectors.

“And I asked, are you welcoming destroyers or defectors. This party cannot work. Do you want these people to destroy you again. Then they later raised the hand of one of them and said this is the national leader of the party. Immediately, in my honour, I put in my resignation and said I am no longer the national leader of the party.”