Buhari’s campaign coordinator returns to PDP in Akwa Ibom

The Akwa Ibom State Coordinator of President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign group, Ignatius Edet, on Wednesday defected with over 5,000 members of the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party.

Edet, a former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, returned to the PDP at the inauguration of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s re-election campaign in Uyo, the state capital.

Speaking at the event, which was held at the Uyo Township Stadium, Edet explained that he left the APC as a result of the high-handedness and impunity of the party’s officials.

He expressed disappointment with the attitude of some APC chiefs, especially an unnamed aide of Buhari, whom he alleged handpicked the candidates in the last primary elections.

Edet said, “I have seen it all both in the PDP and the APC and I can tell the difference.I decided to leave the party because of impunity and high-handedness of the officials, some of them were seen handpicking aspirants at the last primaries.”

Edet expressed confidence that the PDP, which he said had been on the ground in the state with sustainable structures, would win the coming elections.

Meanwhile, Emmanuel, while inaugurating his campaign urged the people of the state to remain resolute and vote for the PDP.

The governor described a vote for the PDP as a vote for economic development, rapid industrialisation and sincere commitment to the youth and women empowerment.

He claimed that the PDP was the only party that had economic blueprint and had developed capacity for the development of the youth and women in the country.

Emmanuel said a vote for the APC was a vote for the return of kidnapping, killings and other politically-motivated crimes.

He restated his commitment to the completion of his five-point agenda, adding that his achievements in power, education, health, the youth and women empowerment, security, poverty alleviation, industrialisation remained unparalleled in the state.

He accused his predecessor, Godswill Akpabio, of executing projects which he claimed were not driven by the needs of the people of the state.

The governor said, “I offer myself to complete what we have started for the youth. There are elements of integrity, love and sincerity contained in all sections of  our manifesto and our commitment to industrialisation, the youth and women empowerment, education and robust health system remains irrevocable.

“I did not come to complete monuments but to complete life-touching projects. The APC promised you 31 industries and power generation.  Did they do them?

“You must therefore rise against kidnapping, killings and politically-motivated crimes.“The PDP is the only party with economic blueprint, blueprint for capacity development and the youth empowerment.