PDP receives Ayade’s aides who refused to join APC

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday, received some former appointees of Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State who refused to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ayade, on May 20, defected to APC alongside some of his aides.
Speaking at the occasion, the National Chairman of PDP, Mr Uche Secondus, described the PDP as the party to take Nigeria to greater heights.
He assured party members of a level-playing ground for all.
Speaking, Mr Goodwin Etta, former Commissioner for Water Resources, said he could not follow Ayade to the APC because “there was no reason for that.”
“I am tired of food on the table, and that is why I chose to remain with my people,” Etta said.
Mr Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra described Cross River as ‘100 per cent PDP state’.
Obi, Vice Presidential Candidate of PDP in the 2019 general elections, said Cross River was Nigeria’s destination under Governors Donald Duke and Liyel Imoke.
“But today, all Cross River stood for have gone. Before, you can sleep with your eyes closed but today you can no longer sleep with your eyes closed,” he said.
The former governor, Donald Duke used the opportunity to officially announce his formal return to the PDP.
“I am back, ” he said.
The Chairman of PDP governor’s forum, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, said the party was ready to take over the Federal Government in 2023.
“When we take over the government in 2023, we will start the restructuring of the country,” he said.
The chairman also formally inaugurated the new Secretariat Annex of the State chapter and inaugurated the new interim State Executive of the the party.