Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has stated that the former ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, remains the largest party in Africa and can never die.
Speaking with newsmen in Lagos during the weekend, Udom debunked the speculatiations in some quarters of his alleged plans to dump the PDP.
He said PDP was in his blood and he had no reason to dump the party, unless “you drain my blood before you take PDP away.”
He said, “I’ve never considered that. It is unthinkable that a pillar of PDP like me would ever think of leaving the party. I don’t do that; I’m a very loyal person. The church I was born into by my grandfather is in the church I’m still attending till date. I’ve not changed, not to talk of political party. I can’t go anywhere outside PDP. Know that Udom is PDP, and PDP is Udom.
“PDP is in my blood, unless you drain my blood before you take PDP away. PDP can never die; it is the largest party in Africa, forget propaganda. It is the only party that you enter any ward in all the 774 local government areas in this country you mention PDP and nobody would ask what you are referring to.
“In fact, PDP in my state is like a religion. PDP is the only place you can see quality leaders, I mean elected leaders under PDP platform. Anything you hear or see today in Akwa Ibom is PDP. So, how do you expect my people to leave PDP? It’s the only party that I know.”
Asked if he is in cold war with his godfather and predecessor, Godswill Akpabio, the governor said, “And on the issue with my predecessor, I’m not aware of that.
“We don’t have any issue in the direction that you are looking at. Somebody told me one day that it was a banana peel, and I told him we won’t match the banana peel, even if they put it in front of us.
“So, when you read those things, just ignore them. There has never been any issue and there would never be. So, our relationship is as expected.”
