SENATOR Godswill Akpabio says Akwa Ibom State now belongs to the All Progressive Congress, (APC).

Mr Akpabio stated this on Wednesday when he officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.

“I want you to know that from today Akwa Ibom is now an APC state,” the lawmaker who is a former governor of the state said.

He said his defection to the APC is for the interest of the state.

“I am in APC to link the state to the centre,” Akpabio added.

The former governor who recently resigned from his seat as the Senate Minority Leader is a first timer at the upper legislative chamber.

Akpabio defected with his supporters who included lawmakers of the state assembly, some of the recently sacked commissioners of the state and various chieftains of the PDP in the state.

The occasion took place at the Ikot Ekpene Township stadium where mammoth crowd gathered to witness the event.

Present to witness his defection were the National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole; the secretary to the government of the federation, Boss Mustapha; national leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu among others.