From Ene Asuquo, Calabar

A Chieftain of opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State and grassroot politician in Calabar Municipality local government area of the state, Ntufam Maurice Omini-Iso, who decamped to the APC recently, has citing internal division and absence of internal democracy as being responsible for his defection.

Omini-Iso, who defected alongside thousands of supporters, likened the PDP to a sinking ship, stressing that he joined the APC due to Governor Bassey Otu’s impressive infrastructure development and intimidating track record in the area of business and economy. Omini-Iso made the remarks during a conversation with our Correspondent in Calabar yesterday.The grassroot politician praised Governor Otu’s achievements, and the achievement of president Bola Tinubu by making policy decisions that impacts positively on the people in the area of Infrastructural development, which include road construction projects that benefited his community.He emphasized that joining the APC would enable him and his supporters to collaborate with the governor to advance the state’s development.Omini –Iso dismissed claims that he defected to avoid persecution, stressing that he has always been a progressive and was drawn to the APC’s performance.He commended the Otu administration’s achievements, stressing, “The Otu and President Tinubu’s administration is doing extremely well.””I saw that Gov. Otu is a different politician who is doing well in the area of Infrastructural development.”I discovered that APC is doing well. Not only in Cross River state but in Nigeria.And I decided to defect from the PDP to the APC.”If you look at the structural setting and internal democracy of the PDP, they are not doing well. PDP is divided, besides they lack a formidable leadership. No decent Nigerian who is a politician would like to be in a sinking ship.”From the highway to where I reside, he has tarred the road. Otu showed me that he can deliver the goods associated with democracy. So my supporters and I, we had no option than to decamp to his party the APC,” he said.The business tycoon who doubles as grassroot politician averred that movement alongside his supporters to the APC will afford them opportunity to join hands with governor Otu to lift the state to enviable height.He denied rumours made in some quarters by critics that he defected to the APC in order to evade persecution from the leadership of APC