Aide of Akwa Ibom gov resigns, joins APC

Ibanga Etang, an aide to Udom Emmanuel, governor of Akwa Ibom state, has defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC) after tendering his resignation.

Etang took the action few months after Chris Okorie, special assistant to the governor on electoral matters, also dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for APC.

Etang, a former chairman of Esit Eket local government, resigned on April 9,and formally registered with the APC at his Etebi ward 7 along with over 300 followers on April 10.

Addressing his supporters at a post-defection meeting on Friday, Etang said with their entry into APC, the party stood 70 percent chance of winning Esit Eket local government Area.

Etang, who was also a former President of Afigh Iwaad Ekid, the umbrella youth organisation in Eket federal constituency, said he left the PDP because of impunity.

“I blame the continuing exodus from the Esit Eket PDP on a situation where an individual takes Esit Eket as his personal property,” he said.

Etang had also served as special assistant to Godswill Akpabio, former governor of the state.

According to him, he has refused overtures from PDP leaders in the state in the last few days not to defect to APC.

He said, “I vowed that my supporters and I have decided to move on and no going back.”

In his resignation letter to the governor, he said he left because it was “necessary to depart now in line with the dictates of my conscience and highest level of sincerity”.

Seven chieftains of the PDP in the local government have so far defected o APC.