Owan-Eno, Four Others to Dump PDP for APC

Bassey Inyang in Calabar

Barring any last minute changes, plans are afoot for the senator representing the central senatorial district of Cross River State, John Owan-Eno to decamp from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to a very reliable information gathered from sources close to the senator, he would formally register with the APC on April 27, in his ward, Agobkim, in Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State.

One of the sources who craved anonymity disclosed yesterday that Owan-Eno’s movement to the APC would be a prelude to the dumping of the PDP for the APC by four other federal lawmakers from the state within this month.

The source state that the federal lawmakers, expected to decamp after the senator, are from the central and southern senatorial districts.

“As am talking with you from Abuja I can tell you that Senator John Owan Eno has concluded arrangement to declare formally for APC on April 22, 2017 at his Agbokim Ward.

“He has consulted widely before deciding to defect to be able to take his political destiny in his hands. He met with major political leaders across party lines last two weeks and it was resolved he should leave PDP.

“Further, you know there has been no love lost between him and the Governor Ben Ayade and that culminated into dumping PDP he suffered for APC. I can also tell you that he has officially informed APC leadership in the central senatorial and there will there to receive him with over thousands of supporters.

“The movement will be followed with other four House of Representatives members from central and south.  Form what has happened so far in the last two years, the PDP leadership does not want some of them so they have to look elsewhere where they can be accommodated,” the source said.

The sources also stated that the senator has already concluded consultations with the APC leaders in the state; and they have instructed the ward, local government, and zonal leaders of the party to give him a rousing welcome.

Commenting on the development, the Vice Chairman of APC Central Senatorial Zone of the state, Mr. Cletus Obun, said he has been informed abut the plans by Owan-Eno to decm tto the APC, saying if the senator does the needful he will be welcomed to the party.

“Before now, I have been an advocate of making the party bigger and stronger. I think with people like that there will competition and potential, but the party will get stronger,” Obun said.

In his reaction, the state Chairman of the APC, Mr. John Ochalla, said  the party has been consulted, and informed about the planned defection of the senator from the PDP to the APC.

“On Saturday, by the grace of God, Owan-Eno will go to his ward and register with the APC,” Ochalla said.