The People Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to the resignation of the former Leader of the Senate, Victor Ndoma-Egba from its fold.
According to John Okon, the chairman of the PDP in Cross River state, Ndoma-Egba’s resignation from the PDP did not come as a surprise to them as he had long indicated he was on his way out of the party.
Speaking on Thursday, September 17, in Calabar, Okon said though it was a big loss to the party, they were seriously relieved by his movement out of the fold, which they likened to the termination of a protracted illness.
The chairman wished Ndoma-Egba well saying, “As a leader who has been exposed, and who has been in the party, if he says he is no longer comfortable in the party again, he wants to leave, it is his fundamental human right. He is a leader in Cross River state, he is a community leader, he is a friend, and I wish him the best of luck in his new party. To us he is still part of us; we will continue to talk to him. But, he has the right to his own decision. To me as a chairman of the party, there is no hard feelings, no bitter feelings. It is a big loss, but the party must move on.”
Okon said it would have been a bigger blow on the party if the former Senate leader had left suddenly but he had already started showing his anger immediately after the party primaries in the build-up to the 2015 general election.
The PDP chairman said Ndoma-Egba’s resignation would in no way affect the party’s electoral fortunes in the state in future because they were well grounded and popular among the electorate.
About a month ago, report had surfaced that the former Senate leader was planning to dump the PDP, along with other prominent leaders of the party.
Ndoma-Egba had formally dumped the PDP on Wednesday, September 16, through a resignation letter he signed and sent to the party chairman in Akparabong ward, Ikom local government area, in central senatorial district of Cross River State.
He had cited the current policies and direction of the PDP which had become inconsistent with his philosophy and commitment to democratic principles, his reason for leaving.
Though he has not identified with any party, it is strongly believed that, very soon, he will join the All Progressives Congress (APC), which has been wooing him in recent times.
