C’River Senator dumps PDP, joins APC

Senator Agom Jarigbe, representing Cross River North Senatorial District, officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, notifying the Senate in a formal letter.

As aired on NASSTV on Tuesday, the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, read Jarigbe’s resignation, in which the senator cited deep-seated internal divisions within the PDP as the reason for his defection from the PDP.

“I rise to formally notify you and the distinguished leadership of the Senate of my resignation from the People’s Democratic Party on whose platform I was elected to represent the good people of Cross River North Senatorial District,” Jarigbe said.

“The decision has been taken after a deep and thoughtful reflection on the current state of my former party. It is a profound regret that I cite the prevailing deep-seated and irreconcilable differences, as well as the persistent and deliberate factions within the party at both the national and state levels, as a primary reason for my departure.”

Jarigbe added that the APC offers a more stable and progressive platform for serving his constituents.

In the light of the foregoing, and in the best interests of my constituents, and my continued pursuit of effective representation, I have decided to join the ranks of the All Progressives Congress.

I believe that the APC, under the leadership of our President, His Excellency Bola Tinubu, and your own steady leadership of the National Assembly, provides the stable and progressive platform necessary to effectively deliver on the mandate and the democratic dividends expected by the people of Cross River North,” he said.

Jibrin welcomed the senator to the new party, saying, “You are most welcome. Please welcome him,” as members of the Senate applauded Jarigbe’s decision.

The defection comes amid renewed turmoil in the PDP which has been split into two warring factions following a leadership tussle within its National Working Committee. Each faction has suspended the other in a further escalation of hostilities.

Online report on November 2 that the crisis erupted barely 24 hours after a Federal High Court in Abuja halted the party’s planned national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The split largely pits loyalists of Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum against a bloc aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, deepening the rift within the opposition party.