By Bassey Inyang
The People Democratic Party (PDP) has described the resignation of the former Leader of the Senate, Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), from its fold, as a big loss to the party.
The Chairman of the PDP in Cross River State, Mr. John Okon, who made the declaration, however, stated that the party wished Ndoma-Egba well in his future political endeavor.
Disclosing the position of the PDP to THISDAY in Calabar Thursday concerning the resignation of Ndoma-Egba from the party, the state chairman of the party said: “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 fillings, no bitter feelings. It is a big loss, but the party must move on.”
However, Okon stated that the resignation of Ndoma-Egba from the PDP did not come to them as a surprise because he had long indicated he was on his way out of the party.
“For sometime now he has not felt comfortable in the party. If I must be frank with you, he did not work for us; you know it. His people did not work for us. I am not undermining his popularity; it is a bid loss no doubt.”
He said if Ndoma-Egba had left suddenly, it would have been a bigger blow to the PDP, but stressed that the former leader of the Senate had showed his anger immediately after the party primaries in the build-up to the 2015 general election.
The party chairman, who likened Ndoma-Egba’s resignation from the PDP to the termination of a protracted illness, said the party was seriously relieved by his movement out of the fold.
“For sometimes, this issue has been on after the primaries, nomination, campaigns and so on. So, it has been there with us. It is a big relief,” Okon said.
The party chairman said the exit of Ndoma-Egba from the PDP would not affect its electoral fortunes in the state in future because the party was well grounded and popular among the electorate.
On Wednesday, Ndoma-Egba, formally dumped the PDP through a resignation letter he signed and sent the party chairman in Akparabong Ward, Ikom Local Government Area, in central senatorial district of Cross River State, where he hails from.
Ndoma-Egba’s resignation letter read in part: “I returned to politics to pursue certain ideals and values, to contribute towards strengthening democracy, to give a voice to my people, a people who have been most kind and generous to me.
“Before, the PDP was strong in Cross River State because it offered members an atmosphere and opportunity for self expression within its confines. Today, those values that underline democracy have totally become strange to the party.
“I, therefore, resign my membership of the PDP forthwith and urge you to take the necessary steps to reflect this on your records.”
It is strongly believed that, very soon, Ndoma-Egba will join the All Progressives Congress (APC), which has been wooing him in recent times.
Culled from Thisday