Former Cross River Governor, Donald Duke, has explained why he left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He spoke in Abuja on Tuesday after a meeting with the Deputy National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Abdul Isiaq.

Duke said the party where he had been a member for 20 years had lost its values and was now a shadow of itself.

“The PDP we joined in 1998 is certainly not the same party that is in place today.

“When the former President of the country walked away from the part, you should know there is problem somewhere.

“PDP is the first truly national party, but over the years, you will see that it lost that and became a shadow of itself,” he said.

Duke said that he also left PDP to SDP because the nation was seeking for rebirth and most Nigerians were seeking something different and better which the SDP represented.

“I believe that the nation is seeking for rebirth. I believe that most Nigerians are yearning for something different and better and I am hoping that as like minds, we will come together.’’

He also disclosed that he would be contesting for the position of the president on the platform of SDP, and expressed confidence that though 2019 elections may be tough, he would win.

On the president’s refusal of assent to the amended Electoral Act Bill, Duke said that there were a lot of politics around the Electoral Act.

He that the president’s refusal on the bill may not be unconnected with the issue of re-ordering of the election sequence.

“I think that is still largely the underlining reasons for the president veto to the amended Act. In politics, people want to take advantage of what will satisfy them,” he added.