Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, who represents Akwa-Ibom North East Senatorial District, has defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the Young Progressives Party (YPP).
He announced his resignation from the PDP in a letter dated July 18, 2022, which was read at the start of plenary yesterday by Senate President Ahmad Lawan.
Christian community shouldn’t lose sleep over APC’s Muslim/Muslim ticket – Faleke
UTA to begin humanitarian activities in FCT rural communities
Senator Akpan, who chairs the Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), explained that his defection was against the backdrop of agitations among members of the party who were dissatisfied with the absence of a level-playing field during the governorship primary in the state.
His defection to the YPP brings the number of serving senators in the party to two.
The letter reads, “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 primary.
“Therefore, I am constrained to bow to the wish of my people who have advised that in view of the state of affairs that exist now in the party, I should resign my membership of the party.”