By Chris Nomjov
The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Cross River State, has a lot reasons to smile. Following today’s confirmation of its state Chairman, Pastor Usani Usani as the Minister of Nigeria Delta; the party has had an added reason to be in upbeat mood.
Erstwhile Senate leader in the 7th Senate, Victor Ndoma Egba, has formally decamped from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Indications were rife that they the experienced lawmaker would make the switch, a few months ago.
Making his intentions known at the secretariat of the ruling party in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, the onetime Senate leader, who was accompanied to the secretariat alongside his supporters from the Central Senatorial District, disclosed that his decision was borne out of an in-depth desire to remain relevant in politics.
According to him, ‘due process supersedes all in politics’, a situation which he said was lacking in the PDP, following the way and manner it held its last general elections, where the outcome of the polls did not reflect the true essence of democracy.
Mr Egba promised to abide by the party’s constitution, bearing in mind his wealth of experience in the nation’s polity.
Receiving the former Senate leader, the party’s National Vice Chairman, South South region, Hilard Eta, said the defection sent a strong signal that APC would be better placed in Cross River State and Nigeria, at large.
Ndoma Egba’s defection remains a big catch for the APC, whose popularity in the state had been peripheral, despite the merger of four legacy parties, all of which had operated at the peripheral of political activities in the South-South state.
Aside the former Senate Leader, former Minister of Health and Works, Dr. Emmanuel Nsan; a former governor of the state, Clement Ebri; former PDP governorship aspirant, Prince Goddy Jeddy-Agba; a former senatorial aspirant of the PDP, Chief Sam Bassey; former LP governorship candidate in the April 11 poll, Ntufam Fidelis Ugbo and his running mate, Mrs. Nella Andem-Ewa Rabana (SAN) among others, have all reportedly joined the party.
