Ex-Reps Member Dumps APC for ADC Weeks After Resigning as Akpabio’s Aide

By Momodu Favour

A former member of the House of Representatives, Patty Etete, has defected from the All Progressives Congress to the African Democratic Congress, just weeks after resigning from his role as a senior legislative aide to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.

Mr Etete announced his resignation from the APC in a letter dated March 14, addressed to the party chairman of Ward 1 in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

In the letter, the former lawmaker cited unresolved issues within the party as the reason for his decision to leave.

“Due to unresolved differences, including interference, exclusion, and strange experiences within the party, I hereby resign from the APC with immediate effect,” he wrote.

His exit from the ruling party comes less than three weeks after he resigned as a senior legislative aide to the Senate President.

In a resignation letter dated February 26, Mr Etete described his decision to leave the office of Mr Akpabio as “long overdue.” He alleged that he had endured years of humiliation, discrimination, and denial of access to the Senate President.

Mr Etete, who represented Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim/Obot Akara Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives between 2007 and 2011, said he had earlier accepted what he described as a “downgraded designation” in the Senate President’s office in good faith.

However, he said the working environment later became increasingly difficult, forcing him to step down from the role.

Speaking with reporters on Monday, Mr Etete confirmed that he had officially joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following his resignation from the APC.

His defection adds to the recent wave of political realignments in Akwa Ibom State as parties begin to position themselves ahead of future political contests.