Former governorship aspirant in Cross River State, Senator Gershom Bassey, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing persistent internal crises, deep divisions and unresolved conflicts within the party.
Bassey, who represented Cross River South Senatorial District in the 8th and 9th Senate, said he took the decision “with a heavy heart,” noting that recent developments in the party had made it difficult for him to remain hopeful about its future.
In a resignation letter dated March 12, 2026, and addressed to the PDP leadership in Ward 9, Calabar South Local Government Area, the former senator formally announced his exit from the party.
He said the continued split within the party’s structures had weakened its unity and eroded the values on which it was founded.
“The most recent crisis has unfortunately made it clear that the party is drifting further away from the ideals that once bound us together,” he stated.
Bassey also lamented what he described as the unwillingness of party elders and leaders to make genuine efforts to restore discipline, unity and vision within the PDP.
“What makes this even more painful is the apparent unwillingness of party elders and leaders to genuinely fight for its soul and restore the discipline, unity and vision that once defined it,” he added.
He said the developments within the party had turned what was once a respected democratic institution, embodying the hopes and aspirations of millions of Nigerians, into a shadow of its former self.
Bassey noted that he would rather step aside than remain part of a system that no longer reflects the principles he believes in, adding that he had invested enormous resources and commitment in building the party over the years.
The former senator, however, did not disclose his next political destination as the 2027 governorship election in Cross River State approaches.