The Young Progressives Party (YPP), a party that came second in the 2023 gubernatorial election in Akwa Ibom, has announced its merger with the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The merger, which took place on Friday, was done in solidarity with Senate President Godswill Akpabio, as confirmed by Akpabio’s media office.
Recall that in the governorship election, the YPP secured the second-highest number of valid votes and won two seats in the House of Assembly and one in the House of Representatives, according to results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The governorship candidate of the party, Senator Bassey Albert, along with the deputy governorship candidate, retired AIG Asuquo Amba, the State Executive Committee led by State Chairman Mr Nyeneime Andy, the Elders’ Council, chapter and ward officers, and the entire executive council of the Akwa Ubok Abasi campaign organization (totalling over 10,000 members) paid a solidarity visit to the Senate President at his residence in Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area.
They also used the opportunity to declare their support for President Bola Tinubu.
Ephraim Inyang-Eyen, the YPP candidate for the Eket Senatorial District in the 2023 election who was a Commissioner for Works and Chief of Staff in the immediate-past administration, revealed that the party members reached a unanimous decision to merge with the APC.
He said: “We have come to tell you that the time has come for us to make necessary adjustments for the growth of Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria.
“We have come with a message of solidarity to you. The last time a person from the South-South zone occupied the position of the Senate President was about 44 years ago. We are determined to stand by you and support you.
“We are satisfied with the economic policy of President Bola Tinubu. We are determined to stand by you and strengthen your hand so that you can achieve more.
“We have come wholeheartedly to pledge our solidarity. We have come to make a fundamental commitment. After the Supreme Court judgment, we came to a decision and the right decision was that we should support the APC.
“We have come with the totality of the YPP family in solidarity. This solidarity is not word of mouth, it is total. Today, YPP in Akwa Ibom State has become APC. We have come to submit that you lead us,” he said.
In his remarks, the YPP state chairman, Nyeneime Andy, expressed satisfaction with Tinubu’s administration policies, stating that following the rerun elections in Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency and Ibiono Ibom State Constituency, the party’s candidates in the legislative houses will formally switch to the APC.
He noted: “Politics is like a football match, you should know that there will always be a time for transfers. So this is time for transfer. The YPP is pleased with the way President Bola Tinubu is running the affairs of the country that is why our party members said we should take them to APC.”
Meanwhile, the governorship candidate of the YPP in the 2023 election, Senator Bassey Albert, said the party joined the APC to support President Tinubu and the Senate President to ensure that Akwa Ibom is not divided.
He stated: “I am a son you sent out and I have come back with a lot of sons. I aspired because I knew that the Akwa Ibom State you built is not the Akwa Ibom we have today. I saw my aspiration as an opportunity to restore the lost glory of Akwa Ibom State.
“We are here to join hands with you (Senate President) to ensure that Akwa Ibom State is not divided. We have come to submit totally to your leadership. We believe and feel strongly that we are safer in APC. After the rerun, our members in the House of Representatives and House of Assembly will join us here.”
The former senator said he is not joining the APC to seek election.
He said: “I am not here to contest any election but to support you to deliver Akwa Ibom State to APC.”
In his response, Senator Akpabio praised YPP’s growth and capacity in the 2023 governorship election. He commended the party for openly appreciating Tinubu’s administrative style, policies, and programs focused on enhancing the well-being of Nigerians.
He said: “From nothing, you built a recognised political structure in Akwa Ibom State that propelled you to somewhere. Thank you for openly acknowledging that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is leading the nation in the right direction. I tell people, if you can see good governance in Asiwaju, why don’t you join them?
“This is a very uncommon move, you are not joining us because there is an election tomorrow. You are joining us because you have seen good governance.”
The state chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Stephen Ntukekpo, officially received the YPP structure. He said the national chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, directed all APC members to support both YPP candidates in the upcoming rerun elections in Ikono/Ini federal constituency and Ibiono Ibom state constituency next month.
