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2023: Former Deputy Governorship Candidate In Cross River Dumps APC For PDP

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APC Drags Three Lawmakers To Court Over Defection To PDP
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A former Deputy Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, Hellen Boco, has dumped the party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

According to her, she defected to the PDP because of non-inclusiveness in the party affairs despite being a legacy member of the APC in the state.

Naija News reports that Boco, who was the deputy to a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Usani in the 2019 general elections revealed her move to the PDP to pressmen in an interactive session in Calabar on Saturday.

She also asserted that she and her supporters who defected to the PDP have liberated themselves from the APC cabal running the affairs of the party like their private business.

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Boco submitted that her defection to the PDP would avail her and her supporters the opportunity to work for the victory of the presidential and governorship candidates of the PDP.

The former deputy candidate accused the state government of ignoring people at the grassroots while describing the government’s appointments as “rubbish.”

Boco alleged that the state governor, Benedict Ayade and his party had not done well and that power must change hands, saying, “we don’t have to pretend about it.”

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She advanced that “I was a foundational 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 with our small resources.

“There is no joy in the APC, people at the grassroots are not smiling, the legacy members are not happy, and those of us that built the APC are nowhere.

“We are not appreciated, or recognised, they want to retire us.

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“We have been deceived, mortgaged, there is so much deceit and there is no truth in anything that has to do with the APC.

“This is not the principles at which we built the APC, so many foundational members are not appreciated, and 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 have resigned and I am now a member of PDP in Ward 9 and I am happy to be a member of a new political party.

“How many of us are happy with the present situation we are faced with, how much do you buy fuel today, power must change hands,” she submitted.”

Boco also appreciated the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar for commending her good works at the grassroots level and for appointing her to his Independent Campaign Council.

“So at this point in time I have been recognised by His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar to join his campaign team.

“He constituted an independent campaign council and I have accepted his appointment, I am ready, the grassroots are ready to work massively in his support for the 2023 elections.

“I think, for once, a grassroots has been heard, this appointment is not just for them but for those that have been denied, ignored, oppressed after all their sacrifices.

“That appreciation alone from another party of the sacrifices that have been made at the grassroots is worth smiling.

“If somebody out there can be recognisedsed that the grassroots need to be heard, that’s enough joy and happiness” she added.

Meanwhile, Naija News gathered that in a swift reaction, the state chapter of the APC reacted to Boco’s defection by wishing her well in her new party.

The State Publicity Secretary of the APC in the state, Erasmus Ekpang, claimed that her defection was following her loss in the contest as the party’s national woman leader.

Ekpang disclosed that Boco has since been fighting with the party, adding that no one forced her out of the party due to Ill-treatment as she claims.

The Cross River APC added that “There was no ill-treatment melted on her but rather, she has been the one fighting the party since she lost out to Ebetta Edu as the national woman leader of the APC.”