A former PDP Senatorial aspirant in Cross River State who was also the Chief Security Officer, CSO to former Governor Liyel Imoke, Mr Dodeye Arikpo has formally defected to the All Progressive Congress, APC, today, August 15, 2024.
The event which took place in his ward, Ikpakapit in Ugep, Yakurr LGA, was witnessed by a mammoth crowd of supporters and well wishers, who hailed his move. It will be recalled that Mr. Dodeye Arikpo recently resigned his membership of the PDP, citing personal reasons.
Among those who witnessed the occasion were the APC Ikpakapit Ward Chairman, Pastor Ujong Onen Okoi and the Exco of the ward; Sir Patrick Otu, a former chairman of CROSIEC; Mr James Uket, a retired director in the State civil service, who was also the Director General of the Efiok Cobham for Governor campaign organization, and many other stakeholders of the party.
In a related development, the APC Yakurr Chapter also held a welcome reception for Mr. Dodeye Arikpo and Miss Nneoyi Ibanga Edet, a former Special Assistant on Women Mobilization to former Governor Benedict Ayade and a crowd of other members of their political family who had earlier joined them to defect to the APC, on Friday 16th August 2024 at the chapter headquarters in Ugep.
Those at the welcome reception included, the chapter secretary of the APC in Yakurr LGA, Elder Ibiang Ubi a.k.a Gowon who stood in for the chairman of the chapter, Obol Okoi Obono-Obla, a former Special Assistant to the President and eminent lawyer and leader of the APC, and many other leading members of the party in Yakurr.
While hailing the move of the new members of the APC, the secretary enjoined them to come in and help build the party and the state, while noting the excellent credentials of Mr Dodeye Arikpo and his contributions to Yakurr LGA and indeed the state. He assured them of the party’s stance on equality of all members no matter when they joined the party, and that they were therefore qualified to aspire to any positions if they so wished. He praised the Governor, Sen Prince Bassey Otu for his vision and focus, which has led to many more people of great quality, to join the party in the state.
In his response, Mr. Dodeye Arikpo thanked the party for the honour given to him and the other new members and pledged to work in furthering the unity within the party in the chapter.
He praised the Governor for his great strides since he assumed the leadership of the state and described him as an empathetic leader, a quality he said was very essential for every leader. He went on to thank the chief of staff to the Governor, Hon Emmanuel Ironbar, the Senator representing the central senatorial district, Senator Eteng Williams, the member representing Yakurr 1 State Constituency, Hon Cyril Omini and the Commissioner for Special duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Mr Oden Ewa, for their role in making their defection to the party of great importance.