Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Udom Emmanuel has assured that the state and the entire South-south region will be better off with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in power at the state and the centre.
Addressing a mammoth crowd of defectors on Friday at the formal reception organized to receive APC members and other parties to the PDP, held at Unity Park, Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital.
Governor Emmanuel reiterates the party’s resolve to fully integrate and restore privileges for the defectors, returnees and new entrants to the PDP.
“I assure you, that there’s nothing like you’re just coming back, go and queue behind. No, not at all. We are giving you full restoration.
“Everyone has their own space, nobody will take your space. You all have your own spaces,” the Governor said.
The Chief Executive Officer and leader of PDP in the state formally welcomed the decampees to the party as a family, restating that their loyalty to the party should be well guarded.
Gov Emmanuel stressed that the PDP is the only party that will favour Akwa Ibom and the entire South-South, describing the support of the people for the PDP and what the party holds for them as a social contract, for which he could act as surety.
He, therefore, described the Presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, as detribalized Nigerian with whom the state and the region can be sure of getting their due.
“Atiku is the most detribalized Nigerian and the only one who will recognize the goose that lays the golden eggs. …It is a social contract between the candidate and all of you and I am the surety of that social contract.”
Meanwhile, The State Chairman of the PDP, Elder Aniekan Akpan, cheered the defectors on behalf of the State Working Committee of the party and re-echoed the assurances of their reintegration into the party as the family they rightly belong to.
According to him, the event, beyond the reception, was a unity rally as it marked the collapsing of all political structures in the state into the PDP.