The former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Cross River state, Chief Eyo Ekpo has said that the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have failed Nigerians.

Defecting from PDP to the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Ekpo lamented that the parties failed to provide Nigerians with needed economic improvement, social amenities and infrastructural development.

Chief Ekpo, who defected with thousands of his supporters, said that SDP was truly a progressive party looking back at its performance 25 years ago.
“Most Nigerians are aware of the party that is truly progressive and has history of that progress going back to at least over 25 years ago. Me, and my supporters have today made our way from the PDP to the SDP and there is no looking back.

“We all know the conditions under which, overwhelmed majority of our citizens leaves in Cross River State and as Nigerians, we all know that there are a lot more to be desire,” he noted.

The former commissioner said it was the quest to give the people of Cross River that much-needed wealth that he and his supporters decided to defect to the SDP.

“Our people deserve a lot in this state and country at large hence I have gladly and willingly and of my free volition join Social Democratic Party.

“Together, we will build the SDP in Cross River State and it is already a formidable force and it will grow bigger in our state and we will take our message and program to the people of Cross River.

“I believe that at the fullness of time, very soon, they will accept us and give us the credence we deserve to have. We pay respect to the ideal SDP stands for and say that together we will win elections.

“All politics, it is said, is local, I am not interested in Presidential race but we know those who decamped from APC to PDP, we saw them in 2014 when they went to opposite directions and they are now making their way back.”

The former commissioner continued, “SDP stand for real progress for our people, real development for our people, that is the driven and collective desires and that all of us will climb up to the ladder of life.”

On his rumoured aspiration for elective office, he said “Today is not about people’s aspirations but it is about to join a party that has credible platform for all those that seek a electives office.

“Political parties exist primarily to win election but it is not about election today, we will go to the elections, the party will set the rules by which the candidates will be selected.

“Those that will find favours with the members of the party will become candidates and together all of us will go and fight the election.”

He said, “For the last 19 years, what we all know as the mainstream, whether it was PDP or APC, they all have failed us.

“We are not without hope and that hope today lies in SDP and our message will go forth among the people of Cross River State,”

The defection featured the presentation of party cards and certificates to Ekpo and his supporters.