By Emmanuel Uffot
After much speculations and suspense within the camp of Senator Bassey Albert, he has finally ditched the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The Ibiono Ibom- born senator who currently represents Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District (Uyo Senatorial District) disclosed his defection from PDP to the Young People’s Party, YPP through a letter dated july 18 to the senate.
He cited reasons for his defection to include pressure and agitations from his supporters and loyalists from the party that were dissatisfied with the absence of a level playing field during the governorship primaries in the state.
While he acknowledged that the PDP offered him opportunities to serve in several capacities, he said “the centre can no longer hold in the Akwa-lbom State chapter of the PDP since the party hierarchy decided to adopt and favour only one preferred candidate before and during the governorship primaries.”
“The determination of the state chapter of the party to support the preferred candidate could not even be halted by every attempt to call for a level playing field and its associated controversies. In view of the foregoing, the agitations have led to serious rancor and some steep differences in the ranks of the party and this had presented me with a compelling reason to consult my people on our future in the PDP.”
He also said his team of supporters had encouraged him to contest for governor but events leading to the party primaries for the governorship made it impossible for him to participate in the primaries.
He stressed that his decision to defect to YPP was a product of wide consultations with his supporters, close associates and other stakeholders who thinks along with him.
“As a result of the foregoing, I resigned my membership of the PDP and now joined the Young Progressives Party (YPP) which now becomes my new party,” the letter read.
His resignation letter which was read on the floor of the Senate during plenary session by Senate President, Ahmad Lawan reads, “I write to notify Your Excellency, the President of the Senate, the Senate leadership and the entire Senate of my resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with effect from July 15, 2022.
“I must admit that the PDP has offered me the opportunity to serve several capacities in government over the years, including serving as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and I remain grateful to the party to that extent.
“However, it is now clear to me and my supporters that the centre can no longer hold in the Akwa-lbom State chapter of the PDP since the party hierarchy decided to adopt and favour only one preferred candidate before and during the governorship primaries.”
“The determination of the state chapter of the party to support the preferred candidate could not even be halted by every attempt to call for a level-playing field and its associated controversies.
“In view of the foregoing, the agitations have led to serious rancour and some steep differences in the ranks of the party and this had presented me with a compelling reason to consult my people on our future in the PDP.
“I must state that my supporters had earlier presented me with a nomination form after paying for same to encourage me to contest the party primaries for nomination of the governorship candidate of the party but unfortunately, events leading to the party primaries for the governorship made it impossible for me to participate in the primaries.”
Prior to the nomination of Pastor Umo Eno by key PDP stakeholders as the preferred aspirant of Governor Udom Emmanuel to succeed him, Senator Albert currently serving his second term and Chairs the chairs the Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) was regarded as one of the frontline aspirants for the gubernatorial ticket of the party in the state.
It was never in doubt that the nomination of Umo Eno, former Commissioner of Lands and Water Resources as the Governor’s anointed candidate and the machinery mustered to actualize his emergence in the primaries, didn’t go down well with the federal lawmaker manifested when he pulled out of the governorship primaries 24 hours to the event. Although he cited a subsistent court case challenging the ad-hoc election which had ordered parties to maintain status quo pending the determination of the main suit as his reasons for opting out of the primaries which he maintained was in obedience to the court order, but it did not leave keen followers in doubt that he knew that he won’t go anywhere in the primaries.
Infact, facts available had revealed that the case instituted by Friday Iwok, a former Member State House of Assembly and 30 others challenging the conduct of an ad- hoc delegates election held on April 30 by the party across the state was at his instance.
With that case having been dismissed last week by the Abuja Federal High Court, it was impertinent that Albert should look for other options available in the state to go ahead with his ambition as PDP outlet was foreclose with the emergence of Pastor Eno as the flagbearer.
His movement to YPP was long speculated given the status of the other parties on ground. The All Progressive Congress, APC which hitherto was the major opposition party in the state, is currently in deep crisis with former Governor Senator Godswill Akpabio wielding enormous power. So APC would not have been a good bride. Another major party that is gradually building popularity in the state is New Nigeria Peoples Party. There, Senator John Akpan Udo Edehe has defected from APC to pick the governorship ticket. In African Democratic Congress which would have been another good option, a prominent politician who has contested for the governorship in the state thrice in person of Nya Etok is currently the governorship candidate.
So having weigh the options, Senator Albert is said to have been prevailed upon by his close political confidants to go for YPP that is fast building structures in the state and gaining popularity. The thinking was that, though the party had already elected Nyenime Andy, a pastor as the governorship candidate, it would be easy to convince him to trade the ticket to Albert.
Sources revealed that before this decision by the lawmaker to defect to the YPP, talks had already been concluded with Pastor Andy to step down for Senator Albert.
The reception given to Albert after he defected by the flagbearer Pastor gives credence to that. It is expected that in the coming days, Senator Albert known as OBA is going to be unveil by the YPP as its governorship candidate.
With the defection of Albert to YPP, Akpan Udo Edehe in NNPP and Engineer Nya Etok in ADC, political analysts are already predicting a good contest in 2023 unlike before that the ruling PDP had an easy ride since 1999.
