A former deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mrs. Helen Effiom has detected to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Cross River State, southern Nigeria.
Effiom, who is a legal practitioner and founding member of the APC in Cross River State, said that her decision to dump the party was due to the ill-treatment of legacy members.
The frontline female politician said she was pitching tent with the PDP to compaign for the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar come February 25, 2023.
She said, “I was a founding and legacy member of the APC right from 2014. We joined others to build APC across the 18 local government areas of the state steadfastly and with dedication using our personal resources.
“There is no joy in the APC; people at the grassroots are not smiling. The legacy members are not happy, those of us, who built the APC in Cross River State are nowhere. We are not appreciated nor recognised. They want to retire us. We have been deceived and mortgaged. There is so much deceit and there is no truth in anything that has to do with the APC,” sEffiom stated.
She continued, “this is not the principles on which we built the APC. So many foundational members are not appreciated; the voice of the voiceless at the grassroots has been ignored. So, I am here to let the world and Nigeria know that I am not a member of APC anymore. I resigned on Friday January 6, 2023 and I am now a member of the PDP in my Ward 9; and I am happy to be a member of a new political party.”
According to Effiom, the APC in Cross River State led by Governor Ben Ayade has not done well and faulted the recent appointments made in the state insisting that there was need for a power shift.
“As I speak to you, in the polling unit, there is not a single appointee. But, everyday there are list of appointees released to the media, we cannot pretend about it anymore. The governor has done done well to the grassroots in that regards,” she argued.
PDP Campaign
She expressed appreciation to the PDP presidential candidate for her appointment into his independent campaign council.
“So, at this point in time I have been recognised by the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar to join his campaign team. He constituted an independent campaign council and I have accepted his appointment. I am ready, the grassroots is ready to work massively in his support for the 2023 election.
“I think for once a grassroots has been heard. This appointment is not just for them but for those, who have been denied, ignored, oppressed after all their sacrifices. That appreciated alone from another party of the sacrifices. That appreciation alone from another party of the sacrifices that were made at the grassroots is worth smiling.
“If somebody out there can recognise that the grassroots need to be heard, that is enough joy and happiness,” she added.
Confidence Okwuchi
