Senator Nelson Effiong’s defection from PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) recently is perceived by political stakeholders in Akwa Ibom as a welcome development hence, the reason former Commissioner for Science and Technology who is now, National Coordinator, ONE for Change, Hon. Samuel Efanga in this interview with newsmen in Uyo, said the defection would balance the equation and shape the politics in the state. Excerpts:
Q: Senator Nelson Effiong recently defected to the APC. What is your reaction to the move?
A: I congratulate him for the bold step he has taken to free himself from the bondage of PDP. Also, I thank him for his positions on issues of Akwa Ibom state administration. It is good for people at that level to begin to speak out which, I think will help to shape politics in the state to develop.
So, his defection from PDP after consultations with his people is a step in the right direction and, as a person who has followed the development, I called to express my happiness to him as well as welcome him to APC on behalf of ONE for Charge movement and in the spirit of democracy.
Q: What about PDP’s intention to reclaim the seat from him?
A: That is an empty threat. The mandate itself came from a faulty foundation that, nobody from PDP can rightly say they have a mandate in the first place.
So, for them to say they would reclaim what they did not have from the beginning is laughable. After all, everybody saw what happened in Akwa Ibom State in 2015. What is morally wrong cannot be politically correct no matter how people would look at it. That has been my position, and so, PDP does not have any mandate to reclaim in the first instance.
On moral or constitutional grounds, it is clear that in the event of crisis in the party, or where there is a merger between two or more political parties, anybody is free to move to another party. So, nobody can claim ignorant of the fact that, PDP is in a deep crisis that has prolonged and is almost consuming the party.
Therefore, no right thinking person will continue to wait until the party is totally destroyed before he can take a decision. As it is, the Senator has taken the right decision and, I encourage others who are yet to do so, to be behold enough to take a decision like the distinguished Sen. Nelson Effiong, and not wait until the party is totally destroyed. With the way the party is heading towards total self-destruction, no right thinking person should wait until the party is totally destroyed, you might not have where to go.
So, I call on those who were earlier afraid to let go their fears and take the right decision by joining APC.
Q: What do you mean, when you say faulty foundation?
A: I have already said in my reaction after the 2015 elections that, we witnessed a monumental fraud in the electoral process that produced some of these persons. In fact, a lot of people were disenfranchised from electing leaders of their choices and, we saw the height of impurity done by the PDP. That is why I am saying that, it was a faulty foundation which some people benefit from the fraud.
So, today, PDP cannot morally say that, they have a mandate from all the elections that were conducted in the state. They should not forget so soon, though we have forgiven them but, we don’t forget what happened in the state in the name of election.
I am praying that, may we never witness such fraud again in the processes of elections in selecting our representatives.
Therefore, the kind of crisis we are having today is as a result of impunity of the PDP in selecting representatives of the party into positions of responsibility.
Are we making any progress?
Why we have not made any progress is because of that faulty foundation. So, I thank Sen. Nelson Effiong. If he has come to the realization that, he was in the wrong place and decided to speak out, we welcome him.
