The budding Young Progressives Party, (YPP), Governorship candidate in the 2023 general elections Sen Bassey Albert, of Akwa Ibom state has dumped the Party for All Progressive Congress (APC).
On Friday the party folded up its structures across the state collapsed into the All Progressives Congress, (APC), in a rare demonstration of solidarity to the Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio.
Others who defected alongside Sen Albert, included his deputy governorship candidate, Retired AIG Asuquo Amba, the State party Chairman, Mr Nyeneime Andy.
Meanwhile, the entire executive council of the Akwa Ubok Abasi campaign organisation numbering over 10,000 declared their support for President Bola Tinubu when they paid a solidarity visit to the Senate President at his country home in Ukana, Essien Udim LGA.
Reports have it that the Party scored the second highest number of valid votes cast in the 2023 governorship election.
Hence, it won two seats in the House of Assembly and one in the House of Representatives elections according to INEC.
Sen Albert, popularly known as OBA remarked that he joined the APC to support President Tinubu and the Senate President to ensure that Akwa Ibom is not divided.
“I am a son you sent out and I have come back with a lot of sons.”
“I aspired because I knew that the Akwa Ibom State Sen Akpabio built is not the Akwa Ibom we have today,” he said.
“We have come to submit totally to your leadership,” he assured the Senate President.
“We believe and feel strongly that we are safer in APC,” he added. “After the rerun our members in the House of Representatives and House of Assembly will join us here.”
On the other hand Sen Albert said: “I am not joining APC to contest any election but to support you to deliver Akwa Ibom State to APC.”
Nevertheless, the Eket Senatorial District Candidate of the YPP in the 2023 election, Mr Ephraim Inyang-Eyen, said the members of the party unanimously agreed to join the APC.
“We have come to tell you that the time has come for us to make necessary adjustments for the growth of Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria.”
Truth Live News gathered that the last time a person from the South-South zone occupied the position of the Senate President was about 44 years ago.
Mr Inyang-Eyen was Commissioner for Works, and Chief of Staff to the immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom State.
“We have come with a message of solidarity to you,” he told the Senate president that they determined to stand by and support him .
Accordingly, Today, YPP in Akwa Ibom State has become APC. We have come to submit that you lead us”, he said.
They showed satisfaction with the economic policy of President Bola Tinubu and determined to stand by him and strengthen his hand so that they can achieve more.”
In particular, “We have come with the totality of the YPP family in solidarity. This solidarity is not words of mouth, it is total,” he stated.
He said for instance, after the Supreme Court judgment, they have come to a right decision that they should support the APC.
“We have come wholeheartedly to pledge our solidarity. We have come to make fundamental commitment.”
Similarly, the State Chairman of YPP, Mr Nyeneime Andy, said members of the party demonstrated happiness with policies of the Tinubu’s administration.
He assured, that after the rerun election in Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency and Ibiono Ibom State Constituency, candidates of the YPP party in the two legislative houses will officially defect to the APC.
“The YPP is very happy and pleased with the way President Bola Tinubu is running the affairs of the country, that is why our party members said we should take them to APC,” Andy said.
“From nothing, you built a recognized political structure in Akwa Ibom State that propelled you to somewhere,” Akpabio told decampees.
“Therefore, this is a very uncommon move, you are not joining us because there is an election tomorrow. You are joining us because you have seen good governance.”
“Thank you for openly acknowledging that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is leading the nation in the right direction.”
Accordingly, Sen Akpabio said the APC will provide equal opportunity to all of them.
Hence, the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Mr Stephen Ntukekpo, received the YPP structure.
“I have been mandated by the National Chairman of the APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, to direct all members of the APC to vote for the two candidates of the YPP during the rerun election in Ikono/Ini federal constituency and Ibiono Ibom State Constituency scheduled for next month.