I Won’t Leave PDP, C’River Senator Vows

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja 

The Senator representing Cross River North Senatorial District, Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, has vowed to remain in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite the gale of defections rocking the party.

Jarigbe, in a statement by his media office, yesterday, stated that his primary duty as an elected senator was to fulfill his Social Contract with his constituents, outside his legislative function of making laws and oversight. 

Jarigbe, who chairs the Senate Committee on Gas, said he was not worried by the flurry of defections to the the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing that he was a PDP senator and his people were in PDP, therefore, his constituents were appreciating him in PDP.

Jarigbe, according to the statement, stated this while giving his midterm scorecard to a delegation of Cross River State Journalists Forum (CROSSJOF) led by its Interim Chairman, Franscica Ogar, at his Abuja residence. 

“Our politics is local. If I go to my place and tell my people I’m defecting, they will tell me to go but that they are not going. So, it’s about my people. My people want to stay in PDP, so whoever defects has a reason for defecting I am not to judge anybody.

“I will go with my people. My people want us to stay in PDP and I will stay with my people, that’s not because we are fighting anybody but it’s about my senatorial district and I limit myself to that,” he said.

Jarigbe emphasised that he was primarily committed to providing infrastructure facilities as well as enhance human capital development of his constituents, adding that, within the last two years, he has been able to achieve most of his Social Contract with his people.

“We are set out to represent our people. We made some promises during the electioneering campaigns and we’ve kept to those promises and it’s work in progress. Take a look at the 2024 budget, they just approved 2025 budget which is yet to be implemented. I can read out all the projects.

“I have done to you but majorly we set out to provide infrastructural facilities and also enhance human capital development that’s our agenda primarily.

“If you go to Ogoja, Obudu Yala, Bekwarra and Obanliku, you will discover that there is no council ward, in the Senatorial District that doesn’t have one infrastructure facility or the other from water, rural electrification, roads,  building schools and furnishing, laboratory equipment,” he added.