January 07, (THEWILL) - A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, Chief Helen Boco Effiom, has resigned from her membership in the party.
Chief Effiom cited the maltreatment of foundational members of the APC by the present leadership of the party and also the lack of joy in being a member of the APC.
She said she is pitching her tent with the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and will campaign for Atiku Abubakar.
In her words, “I was a foundational and legacy member of the APC right from 2014.
“There is no joy in the APC, people at the grassroots are not smiling, the legacy members are not happy, those of us that built the APC are nowhere.
“We are not appreciated, recognised, they want to retire us.
“We have been deceived, mortgaged, there is so much deceit and there is no truth in anything that has to do with the APC.
“So I am here to let the world and Nigeria know that I am not a member of APC anymore, I resigned yesterday and I am now a member of PDP in Ward nine and I am happy to be a member of a new political party”, she said.
She said the state governor, Professor Ben Ayade, has ignored people at the grassroots and described his appointments as rubbish.
She added that the governor and his party have not done well and “we don’t have to pretend about it”, “power must change hands”, she insisted.
Giving more details on her movement to the PDP, she said she is happy her efforts to grassroots mobilisation have been appreciated.
She described her appointment as a victory for people at the grassroots, saying she is happy that for once, the voice of people at the grassroots will be heard.
“So at this point in time I have been recognised by His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, to join his campaign team.
“He constituted an independent campaign council and I have accepted his appointment, I am ready, the grassroots are ready to work massively in his support for the 2023 elections.
“I think for once a grassrooter has been heard, this appointment is not just for them, but for those that have been denied, ignored, oppressed after all their sacrifices.
“That appreciation alone from another party, of the sacrifices that have been made at the grassroots is worth smiling at.
“If somebody out there can recognise that the grassroots need to be heard, that’s enough joy and happiness”, she said.
She said her mission in the Atiku Abubakar Independent Campaign Council is to go after people at the grassroots, who are not members of political parties and desire development.
Chief Helen Boco is a former deputy governorship candidate under the APC in the last general elections.
THEWILL Correspondent, Aniekan Bassey has over six years experience that spans across several fields in print journalism including development communication, sexual reproductive and health rights issues, crime, climate change, social justice, business and human interest stories.
