Prof. Ivara Esu, Cross River Deputy Governor, has said his decision to join the APC after dumping the PDP was a difficult one.
Esu in an interview with journalists on Monday, May 24, at the Government House, Calabar, appealed to Cross Riverians to live peaceably regardless of their political divide.
Esu while reacting to insinuations that he was not going to defect to APC with his Principal, Governor Ayade said:
“Shortly after my Principal announced his defection, I went to my ward, Agwagune/Okurike in Biase Local Government Area to formally register as a member of the All Progressive Congress (APC) on May 20, 2021, and was issued a temporary registration slip while I await the permanent membership card which is in process.
“My decision to move along with my Principal, Senator Professor Ben Ayade was my free decision and necessitated by my desire to support and corporate with him to ensure that his aggressive industrialization and development agenda for the state is achieved”.
The deputy governor while advising Cross Riverians following his defection said: “Nobody should be forced against his/her will to make a decision as for which party to belong, I have been part of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from inception in 1998, it’s not just easy to walk away, but people should put several factors into consideration before making a decision, let there be freedom of choice to avoid crisis situation in the polity.
“No doubt State Government under PDP has done so much in terms of development projects and this defection will not affect the ongoing developmental strides of Governor Ben Ayade’s agenda in the state, rather it will facilitate the timely completion of projects already embarked upon before the end of this administration.”