The member representing Uyo Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. (Dr) Michael Enyong, has described as shameful and inconsequential the defection of Senator Nelson Effiong to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking with a large number of newsmen in Uyo, Saturday, the eloquent House of Representatives member said the political future of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State is completely unaffected by Effiong’s defection to the APC.
He called on Akwa Ibom people to continue to support and show loyalty to the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel, assuring that “PDP is a household name and an irrepressible religion in Akwa Ibom State.”
Senator Nelson Effiong, on Thursday, 19th January 2017, during plenary, handed a letter to the leadership of the Senate and announced his defection to the APC.
Describing Effiong’s defection as cheap, self-seeking and a product of greed, Representative Enyong said Akwa Ibom State has a total of thirteen members in the National Assembly, and “missing only one person is no big deal”.
“On Thursday last week, Senator Nelson Effiong officially decamped to APC. Don’t forget, during the time of Jesus Christ, one of the twelve disciplines, out of sheer greed, conspired to betray Jesus Christ for just Thirty Shilling. You know, at the National Assembly, we are Thirteen in number from Akwa Ibom State. And out of that, only one person has decamped to the APC. So, in my calculation, that’s no big deal”, Michael Enyong said.
He further stressed, “It’s really a pity, and very shameful and quite unfortunate that someone like Nelson Effiong can be bought over with 30 Shilling. That’s shameful. Again, for the fact that the price is cheap, it also means that the political point scored is also cheap.
“It absolutely has no effect on the political future of PDP in Akwa Ibom State. We are not perturbed at all. PDP is like a religion in this place. And we’ll continue to be.
“My position on this issue is clear and unmistaken. I’m the member representing the good people of Uyo Federal Constituency- comprising Uyo, Uruan, Nsit Atai, and Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Areas- in the House of Representatives. I’m a member of the Peoples Democratic Party. I’ll always be in strong, total and undisguised support of the PDP and the PDP Government in my State, especially the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel. Governor Udom Emmanuel, of course is a friend and a brother. My support for him is Hundred Percent.
“It is high time politicians started to operate based on party ideologies. You’re supposed to belong to a political party based on that party’s ideologies and manifestos, and not based on parochial interest.In civilized climes like the United States of America, if you are a Republican, you remain a Republican for life. And if you are a Democrat, you remain a Democrat for life. These movements from one political party to another are completely prohibited over there. It’s unfortunate that here in Nigeria you see politicians cross-carpeting, as it were, from one party to another. The practice here doesn’t allow for an entrenchment of democratic values in our polity. It has to stop.”
On the rumours making the rounds that more National Assembly members of Akwa Ibom extraction are planning to defect to the APC, the Uyo Federal Constituency member said such rumours are unfounded, baseless and false.
“I wish to stress here that the rumoured defection of more National Assembly members is not only false, but also baseless and unfounded. I want to use this opportunity to assure all our teeming supporters at the Grassroots and everywhere that there’s absolutely nothing to worry about. Akwa Ibom State is completely PDP,” Representative Enyong said.
He explained that in the National Assembly, there is a body called Akwa Ibom State Caucus which, according to him, is led by Senator Godswill Akpabio, former Governor of Akwa Ibom State. Enyong said when the news of the defection of Senator Nelson Effiong broke out, a meeting of the Caucus was convened and “we informed Senator Nelson Effiong that his decision to decamp to APC is not in his best interest. We advised him from point of strength and knowledge of our structure on ground.”
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