Sen Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe has said that the current crisis rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not be the end of the party.
Atom-Jarigbe, who is Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas, expressed this optimism at a town hall meeting in Obudu on Sunday.
He represents Cross River North in the National Assembly.
Agom-Jarigbe, who used the town hall to reelout his scorecard in the last two years, debunked his planned remoured defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said that the crisis rocking the party would soon be resolved to the benefit of all.
He assured his constituents of the plan by the PDP to receive what he described as “political heavyweights” from the state’s All Progressive Congress (APC)
According to him, “It is true that there are some issues at the national level. But those issues are going to be resolved. The election is not tomorrow. The election is not next week. It is not next year.
“I don’t want us to distract ourselves with all of that. It’s time for governance. We have no excuse not to deliver. We want you to hold us accountable.
“Party politics is different, but I have to share a few things with you. There are issues surrounding who will be National Secretary and who will not be. But those issues will be resolved. There is nothing like the PDP will not be able to file candidates.
“By the grace of God, I will be on the ballot. Nothing is going to stop you from voting for your son and the person you want. I want to correct the impression that I’m moving from this party. I’m not moving.
“If our president, Bola Tinibu, did not stay in opposition, he will not be president today.
“ If our governor, Prince Otu, did not stay in opposition, he wouldn’t have been governor today. So nobody can come and coerce me and say that I must move to any party.
“In Obanliku Local Government, we chose one of your sons and sent him to the national assembly as member of the House of Representatives.
“Today, there are insinuations that says that there will be no tickets for us on the platform of PDP. Please, there will be tickets for us. If he wants to leave the party, it’s for personal reasons. I am not part of it.
“It wasn’t the name of any party that voted for us. The people that voted for us are seated here. We will go by your decision and not the decision of anybody in Abuja or Calabar.”
The lawmaker explained that it was very necessary for him to interface with the people whose mandate he held to give account of his stewardship for the period of two years in the 10th assembly.
Agom-Jarigbe charged the people to draw his attention to areas of concern where he needed to focus on in the next two years.
Meanwhile, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Zana Akpagu has declared his intention to formerly join the PDP in Cross River.
Akpagu, who joined Agom-Jarigbe at the town hall meeting, expressed satisfaction at the overwhelming demonstration of love and support for the senator.
“I want to thank you all for this show of love you have shown to your son, Sen. Agom-Jarigbe. I congratulate you for this solidarity.
“When we go back, we will discuss with others and plan a bigger rally to join the PDP. I won’t move alone. I will bring others, including (one) engr. Jacob to the PDP,” he declared.
Speaking, the state party Chairman of the PDP, Mr Vena Ikem, described Prof Akpagu as “an uncommon Vice Chancellor, who used the office to empower the people.
According to him, “I can tell you here that Ipong ward was blessed with two leaders, one a governor and the other a Vice Chancellor, and both occupied a place of prominence.
“While the former governor was busy doing food on the table, Prof Akpagu preoccupied his thought process with giving the people employments.”(NAN)