A-Ibom APC stakeholders condemn media attacks on Senator Akpabio
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By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo
SOME concerned stakeholders of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Akwa Ibom State has condemned social media publications targeted against the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio’ by some aggrieved members of the party in the state.
The stakeholders in a statement signed by the immediate past secretary of the party, Dr. Efiong Etok and pioneer council member of Akwa Ibom State University, (AKSU), Mrs. Glory Effiong expressed concern that such attacks on the leaders of the party from the state by some aggrieved members would only bring the image of the party to disrepute.
They advised that it was time for the party members and leaders to work together for better performance in 2023 general elections instead of fighting each other.
They even decried a situation where a particular media side of a governorship aspirant of the party that has persistently made flagrant and irresponsible accusations against Akpabio never offered any proof or evidence to back his allegations.
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The statement reads in part, “We have read the various publications in the social media in which the writers have tried to denigrate the Minister and assail his name with unfounded allegations and unsubstantiated stories. We insist that these allegations are mere fabrications politically motivated and designed to humiliate the Minister out of office.
“The recent confirmation by Obong Nsima Ekere, the former Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) that it was not Senator Akpabio that brought RODNAB Construction Company to the NDDC is quite telling.
” Rather, according to Obong Ekere, it was under his tenure as the MD of NDDC that RODNAB Construction was contracted by the Commission and paid for constructing the headquarters project. Obong Ekere’s honest admission completely discounts the false narratives that have been published on this matter against Senator Akpabio.
“We will like to advise Akwa Ibom State Chapter of our Party, APC, that what we make of the next three years will have the most profound impact on the well being and fortunes of our party in the 2023 elections. Do we spend our time biting at one another or do we come together and build a strong platform?
“Senator Akpabio is the leader of the Party in the state by virtue of his ministerial position; just like Timipreh Sylva, Rotimi Amaechi or Senator Ovie Omo-Agege are leaders of the Party in their own states.
” Akpabio will never contest for any position in Akwa Ibom again, having been a governor for eight years. So it amounts to fruitless dissipation of energy to claw at him instead of minding and spending time to rejig your own political agenda”
They stressed that it is in the interest of the party that members bury their differences, do away with bitterness and grudges work towards building the party, noting that Akpabio being the only minister from the state, it was difficult to contemplate any political configuration in the state without his input.
“As Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, he has the potential to contribute enormously to the purse of the party and provide business opportunities for its members. We deem it very unwise and politically inexpedient to join hands with outsiders to try to bring him down”, the statement added.
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