Senator Gershom Bassey (PDP – Cross River South) says those joining the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state are being blackmailed or coerced to join.
Recall that the Governor of Cross River, Ben Ayade joined the ruling party on May 20.
Barely two weeks later, the governor sacked four commissioners and five aides who chose to remain in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Reacting, Senator Bassey said Cross River remained a PDP state despite the governor’s defection.
He said that the party would win back the state in 2023.
Asked if Cross River had become an APC state with the governor’s defection, Senator Bassey said, “That is just a pie in the sky. There is nothing like that. Cross River is a PDP state and remains so.”
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On the PDP’s chances of regaining power in 2023, he said, “Hundred per cent. Why do I say so? Because it’s a PDP state. The other day, you saw what happened when the national chairman visited Cross River State, you saw the outpouring of people, and the outpouring of support at the airport, at the state secretariat and all over the state.
“You see what’s going on today, today people are spontaneously without prompting holding meetings in every ward in Cross River State, it’s all over the media and the social media.
“In my local government, for instance, almost all the 12 wards in every single ward have held meetings, rallies and these are spontaneous gestures; I have not given them any money because of the love that the people have for the PDP. It is the same in all the 18 local governments.
“So, you can see that this is a PDP state. In fact, those crossing are being forced to cross to the APC, they are being coerced, including people who have medical bills to pay, who have children’s school fees to pay.
“They are being told that, if you don’t cross to APC, we will not give you the money that you have earned as an appointee to pay your medical bills, to pay your children’s school fees.
“Do you think those people are truly APC members? Of course, they’re not APC members, they are being forced like a gun to your head, you’re being forced to do something against your will.
“So you find that half of the new appointees, new people moving into APC, are being coerced, but all these things will play out in 2023.”
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