Out, who is the chairman of the senate committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, announced his resignation from the PDP on Wednesday night shortly after he returned to Calabar from Abuja, Nigeria capital.
Addressing thousands of his supporters at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport (MEIA), Otu who is also a member of the senate committee on petroleum, upstream explained why he left the PDP.
Otu said, “I am coming home to enjoy Christmas with you and to let you know that I am totally displeased with the way PDP conducted her primaries in Cross River State.
“What I want to leave you with tonight is that, for now, I have resigned from the People’s Democratic Party.
“I want to thank you for the support and prayers I have been enjoying from you. Today you sent me to represent you. My representation in the Senate has been totally about the people and not myself. I am totally displeased with the way the PDP has conducted itself. My objective here is to consult with all of you and in no distant time, we would come out with a decision.
“As you can see, I am ready to serve further. I don’t think that anybody should rob Cross River South of a ranking senator. I have done one term and I think our people should enjoy more dividends in a second term.
“As at now I have resigned from the PDP. Any party that is not ready to serve the people, it would be difficult for me to identify with that party. After due consultations, we would come out with a party that would serve our people. For now I will leave you with an adage which says, ‘Let poor man follow chop”, he said to loud cheers from his supporters.
Though Otu was silent on the political party he now belongs, THISDAY gathered from very reliable sources that the senator might have pitched tent with the Labour Party from where he hopes to square it up in the general elections against the candidate of the PDP, Chief Gershom Bassey.
Bassey was announced winner over Otu and a former chairman of the PDP in the state, Mr. Ekpo Okon at the primary election of the PDP for the senatorial district which held at the UJ. Esuene Stadium on December 9.
While Okon described the primary election as free and fair, Otu expressed displeasure of its conduct and outcome, just as his teeming supporters in the seven local government areas that make up the senatorial district.
In a related development, one of the most outstanding governorship aspirants in the state, Mr. Godwin Jedy Agba is strongly believed to have decamped from the PDP to the LP where he is said to have been offered the governorship ticket of the party ahead of the 2015 elections.
A source told THISDAY that Agba who pulled out of the PDP primaries hours before it commenced at the UJ.Esuene Stadium on December 8, has completed every formality required by the LP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to contest the governorship election against Professor Ben Ayade of the PDP and Odey Ochicha of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, THISDAY gathered from impeccable LP source that Governor Liyel Imoke’s immediate past Chief of Staff, Dr. Alex Egbona, and the strongman of Obubra politics, Mr. Egbe Abeng Egbe (Jabengo) have also dumped the PDP for LP.
THISDAY gathered that Egbona will fly the LP flag for Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency; Egbe will fly the party’s flag for Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency.
Source: Thisdaylive
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