•Says defecting governors running from EFCC
By Joseph Atainyang
A founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Chris Ekpenyong, has weighed in on the recent gale of defection from the party, attributing the woes to the persistent presidential ambitions of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Speaking during an interview in Uyo on Monday, Ekpenyong lamented that the PDP’s decision to hand over the party to governors had been its greatest undoing.
“The first mistake PDP made was handing over the party to the governors. That was the mistake founding fathers like Obasanjo made. Obasanjo seized the party,” he stated.
According to Ekpenyong, the party’s structure has been compromised, with governors now controlling everything. “The party was left in the hands of governors, who now control everything. They know why they’re defecting, it’s mostly to protect themselves from the EFCC,” he said.
Ekpenyong criticized Atiku’s persistent pursuit of the presidency, saying it had divided the party and forced many to make their own decisions. “Everybody wanted former VP Atiku to clearly state that he wasn’t going to contest, but his persistence has forced people to make their own decisions. This is dividing the North and the South,” he noted.
The senator expressed pessimism about the party’s ability to recover, saying, “I honestly don’t know how they can rebuild it to challenge the APC in the future.”
He added that President Bola Tinubu had effectively captured the PDP, and it would be difficult for the party to rise again. “Tinubu has killed the PDP… The party has been destroyed.”
Ekpenyong also predicted that more PDP governors might defect, especially those seeking re-election. “A few governors from the North might jump ship too.
“Atiku is the problem. He should have focused on rebuilding the party instead of always aiming for the presidency,” he said.
With Ekpenyong’s comments painting a bleak picture for the PDP, some observers have noted that the party’s demise could lead to a one-party state in Nigeria.
