Ayade has opened floodgate for more defectors – Mbu Jnr

By Jide Orintunsin – Abuja

Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, Sen. Mathew Mbu Jnr, said the defection of Governor Ben Ayade from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has opened a floodgate for more defections of frontline politicians in the state.

He also said that plans were being concluded for members of the National Assembly and other notable politicians from the state in the opposition party to join the Governor in the party.

Mbu Jnr, who spoke with newsmen at the National Secretariat of the party in Abuja, said he remains a fulfilled politician with the defection of the Governor and alignment of the state to the mainstream national politics under his leadership.

He recalled that pre-2020, the party was in crisis in the state and was saddled with the responsibility of unifying the party and also working towards leading the party to win the state in the 2023 governorship election.

“When they gave me the position of Chairman in the state, the party was divided and needed a unifier. They asked me to unite them and to turn the state into an APC state.

READ ALSO: ‘We’ll make PDP stronger in Cross River without Ayade’

“We started unifying the party and God went further to bless us with the defection of Governor Ben Ayade. In fact, our aim was to get the state in 2023 but to our pleasant surprise, it came earlier than we thought.”

The Chairman debunked reports that some APC faithful were not happy with the coming of the Governor.

According to him, “our people were happy with his coming.

“I know that some people were not happy with his coming, but concerning the position of the lawmakers who have refused to follow him, everything will fall in line in due course.

“When I was made the chairman, somebody said the party will become an APC state but they did not believe him, but I tell you that APC has come to stay in Cross River State. In the state, everybody is happy.”

The former Senator also said that APC has come to stay in Cross River State.