Some personal aides to former Akwa Ibom state governor, Senator Godswill Akpabio, have reportedly tendered their resignation letters ahead of the lawmaker's defection from APC to the PDP.
Akpabio and Buhari in London
The planned defection of former governor of Akwa Ibom State and Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has unsettled his successor, Governor Udom Emmanuel and the leadership of the opposition party.
The senator who is a two-term governor of the oil-rich state on the platform of the PDP and senator representing Akwa Ibom North West,
met with President Muhammadu Buhari in London yesterday and he is billed to officially declare for APC on Thursday.
A new report by New Telegraph, four personal aides to Senator Akpabio were said to have tendered their resignation letters. Their position was made known during a meeting of PDP stakeholders in Abak yesterday.
Led by Utibe Nwoko, a Senior Legislative Aide, the senator’s aides dissociated themselves from the planned defection and pledged their unalloyed support for the re-election of Emmanuel in 2019.
But it was gathered that most political leaders in the state, mostly from Akwa Ibom North West (Ikot Ekpene senatorial district) have concluded plans to move with Akpabio to APC.
They include former works commissioner in the state, Don Etim; leader of the state Assembly, Udo Kieran Akpan; former Speaker of the state Assembly and currently member representing Etinan Federal Constituency, Sam Ikon; members representing Abak and Essien Edim/Etim Ekpo/ Ika federal constituencies, Emmanuel Akpan and Emmanuel Ekon; state House of Assembly members, Nse Ntuen, Usoro Akpanusoh, Aniekan Uko, Aniekan Bassey, Idongesit Ntekpere, Uduak Ududoh and Mark Esset, among others. Also said to be on the defection list are the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Victor Antai and Commissioner for Labour and Manpower Development, Ibanga Akpabio.
The Speaker, State House of Assembly Speaker, Onofiok Luke and Senator Bassey Albert, have defied Akpabio’s request for them to move with him to the APC. One of the likely defectors, who spoke with a reporter in Abuja yesterday, said all loyalists of Akpabio were in tune with his decision to join the ruling party.
The lawmaker said Akwa Ibom, being one of the leading oil states in the country, cannot afford to be in the opposition for long because it is too strategic to the nation’s economy.
His words: “I can confirm to you that five of my colleagues and I with one senator will be joining our leader, Senator Akpabio, to the ruling party, APC."