There seems to be no end to the unfolding political drama in Akwa Ibom State as over 20,000 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state on Monday defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Majority of the defectors, who were led by the chapter and ward chairmen from 16 Local Government Areas of the state were loyalists of Senator John Akpan Udoedehe who had been with him since the days of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ANC).

Speaking during the event which was held at the Ibom Hall in Uyo, the state capital, the defectors expressed their disappointment over Udoedehe’s decision to join forces with the APC governorship candidate in the state, Nsima Ekere.

Udoedehe had penultimate weekend handed over his supporters to Ekere after the party’s reconciliation meeting.

Handing over the decampees to Governor Udom Emmanuel, Joseph Ama, a former APC chapter chairman said they decided to dump the APC because they were threatened by the memories of the insecurity, kidnapping, politically motivated killings and other social vices which characterized the political land space of the state during the reign of the immediate past governor of the state.

Ama said the decampees were the support base of the APC inherited and built up from the ACN since 2008, adding that the people of Uyo Senatorial District would not allow themselves to be conned by any individual desirous of pocketing the entire state.

Ama said: “We quit the APC today because we are children of peace. We were very comfortable in the party and suddenly three killers who didn’t allow Akwa Ibom to exist peacefully sometime ago defected to the APC and started their kidnapping again.”

Also speaking,  Chapter Chairman of the APC in Itu LGA of the state, Sunday Uyire said it was practically impossible for him and his executive members to remain in the same party with people whom he alleged had plotted to kill them in 2011.