Akwa Ibom PDP, ALGON back Emmanuel
Former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has attributed his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the unfair reward system in his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Akpabio, who has resigned his position as the Senate Minority Leader, spoke yesterday on arrival at the Ibom International Airport, Uyo.
The former governor arrived Uyo at 2p.m. via a chartered flight to the warm embrace of thousands of his supporters, including two serving commissioners in Governor Udom Emmanuel’s cabinet, Mr. Victor Antai, Commissioner for Culture and Tourism and Mr. Ibanga Akpabio, Commissioner for Labour and Productivity.
In a brief chat with journalists, Akpabio lamented that his former party was now celebrating and rewarding the same people that led to its humiliating defeat in the 2015 election.
He argued that those who tarried and laboured for the party have now been relegated to the background for the returnees to enjoy limelight with promises of automatic tickets.
The former governor also cited the need to join hands with the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to move the country forward as another reason for his defection, stressing that he is now more of a statesman than a politician.
“I am back to formally inform my people of the need to join hands with President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure peace and stability and move the nation forward. I am not just a politician, but a statesman whose major interest is the progress and prosperity of the country,” he said.
Also at the airport to receive Akpabio preparatory to his formal defection to APC is a House of Representatives member representing Abak Federal Constituency, Emmanuel Ekon and his Ikot Ekpene counterpart, Emmanuel Akpan.
Others include the chairman of Essien Udim Local Government Area, Mr. Raphael Isobara and a lawmaker in the state Assembly for Essien Udim state constituency, Hon Nse Ntuen.
New Telegraph’s correspondent gathered that Udom Ekpoudom, a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, will also join APC on Wednesday (today).
In a telephone chat, Ekpoudom, a chieftain of PDP in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area, confirmed that he is leaving PDP for APC.
Meanwhile, members of the Akwa Ibom State Working Committee and Chapter Chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday stormed the Government House, Uyo, to show solidarity and total support for Governor Emmanuel.
They reaffirmed their earlier declared “position of endorsement on the governor for a second term.”
Also, members of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), led by the state chairman, Hon. Frank Achibong, paid a solidarity visit to Emmanuel.
They reaffirmed their unalloyed support to PDP and also passed a vote of confidence in the governor.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the state PDP Chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo, said the party had resolved to back the re-election of the governor in 2019.
Ekpo said: “We need no soothsayer to confirm that we have unanimously entrenched PDP as a religion in Akwa Ibom and there is no going back on this our disposition. So, we came here today as your lieutenants to reassert our declaration once again before you.
The entire structure of the party is intact for you and this structure will sure work for you to emerge victorious in the forthcoming elections.
“We are very proud of your superlative performance and that is why we have decided to endorse you as the sole candidate of our party. Therefore, we have decided to be on our duty post to make this a reality. A reality that will have you conquer this quest in 2019.”
Responding, Emmanuel appreciated the party leadership and stakeholders for the solidarity visit.
He thanked them for the trust reposed in him as their leader and urged people of the state to be steadfast in keeping faith with PDP.
