I Returned From the Land of the Dead - Akpabio Recounts Near Death Experience in Car Crash

Former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio who recently returned to Nigeria from the United Kingdom where he was admitted in the hospital for treatment has spoken about his ordeal in the course of the road acccident he was involved in around Abuja which involved a vehicle belonging to the United States Embassy in Nigeria.

Mr. Akpabio, while addressing a large crowd of Akwa Ibom people, who gathered Wednesday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, to mark the 28th anniversary of Akwa Ibom State, said he had just returned “from the land of the death”.

Mr. Akpabio, minority leader of the Nigerian Senate, said he lost consciousness for about an hour because of the impact of the crash.

“When that accident happened, I was rushing in the morning to join my daughter who was ill in her school abroad and when it happened I lost consciousness and all I shouted was God take care of my children and my people,” said the former governor, who now represents Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District in the Senate.

Mr. Akpabio said when he regained consciousness at the National Hospital, Abuja, he was surprised to see Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State sitting by his side.

“I was moved to tears,” he said.

The former governor, surrounded by a handful of supporters and former aides, including his cousin, Emem Akpabio, entered the stadium around 5:45pm after Governor Udom Emmanuel and other dignitaries had long seated and the ceremony was underway.

He wore Akwa Ibom ‘chieftaincy’ attire. His entry into the stadium energized the crowd, his presence overshadowing his successor, and his speech, though somewhat uncoordinated, electrifying the gathering.

The climax of the anniversary celebration was the launch of a rebirth programme for Akwa Ibom people tagged ‘Dakkada’.
‘Dakkada,’ an Ibibio word, means stand up.

 

Apparently to dispel speculations that he was in the bad books of President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr. Akpabio told the ecstatic crowd in the 30,000-capacity stadium that the President telephoned him to wish him well while he (Akpabio) was in hospital in London.

He said, “Let me place on record the support of President Buhari who did something extraordinary. The President called the hospital that I was in London.

He called the hospital line, and said put me through to the Minority Leader of the Senate who is in your hospital. And they connected him.The room number was Room 215. And he spoke with me. He said, Akpabio we are praying for you. Insha Allah, it shall be well with you.”