The shocking revelation that the
former governor of Akwa Ibom State,
GodsWill Akpabio and his successor,
U
dom Emmanuel, have been visiting
key leaders of the APC to pave the
way for their defection to the party
has once again brought to the fore
the inherent weaknesses in our
politics.
Should they be welcomed into the
party, the APC would appear more as
a group of people with weak moral
content and poor ideological standing
than an ideologically driven political
party.
In addition, such a cross over, if it
happens, will irredeemably rubbish
the anti-corruption brand of the
Buhari administration and
irredeemably weaken the legal case
instituted by Umana Okon Umana,
the APC governorship candidate in
Akwa Ibom state against the
disputed election of Udom
Emmanuel.
Let’s examine the Akpabio
phenomenon. Between May 2007
and the first half of 2009, Akpabio
maintained a chummy relationship
with President Yara’Adua, but was
noticeably lukewarm towards then
vice president, Goodluck Jonathan.
When Yara’Adua became too sick to
function, Akpabio led a major
campaign against the emergence of
Jonathan as the acting president
because he had always nursed the
ambition of being picked as the vice
president in 2011. This was publicly
confirmed by Senator Aloysius Etok,
his representative in the senate. As
soon as Jonathan became the Acting
President, Akpabio turned around
and became his cheer leader.
The defeat of Jonathan on March 11
was a big disappointment for Akpabio
who blamed the former president for
not taking extreme measures to
guarantee him victory. The former
governor had long wanted to be ‘an
enduring national political figure that
is relevant in one administration to
another’. His role model is Tony
Anenih. But the defeat of Jonathan
and the prospect of the loss of his
senatorial seat at the tribunal have
rankled with him endlessly. So,
quickly, he ditched Jonathan as soon
as he conceded defeat.
There are many reasons why Akpabio
and Governor Udom Emmmanuel
should not be admitted into the
APC. It is widely known that the
elections in Akwa Ibom State were
flawed, conducted in breach of the
INEC electoral guidelines and the
2010 Electoral Law. Over 30 Akwa
Ibom people were killed on the day
of the governorship election across
the state by in widespread violence.
The APC in the state, led by its
governorship candidate, Mr Umana
Okon Umana, has filed a petition
against the purported election of
Udom Emmanuel.
Evidence that Udom was not duly
elected is overwhelming, one of
which is that data obtained from
INEC head office in Abuja shows that
the total number of accredited
voters captured by card readers for
the gubernatorial and House of
Assembly elections in Akwa Ibom
State was 437,128, but the figure
declared by the state INEC office was
1,122,836. By INEC guidelines, use
of the card reader was mandatory in
the gubernatorial and House of
Assembly elections. If they join the
APC, Umana’s case will be diluted or
he could even be compelled to drop
it; and all the sacrifices of Akwa
Ibom people who deserve justice
would be in vain.
It should noted that Akpabio’s
election into the senate is also being
challenged vigorously by the APC
candidate, Chief Inibehe Okori. Their
defection into the APC would
therefore tantamount to laundering
their ill-gotten mandates just like
criminals are always eager to launder
proceeds of crime. It will also be
morally reprehensible and politically
repugnant if these two men join our
party. Umana and thousands of his
supporters were driven out of the
PDP by Akpabio to create unimpeded
opportunity for the imposition of
Udom during the primaries.
Many PDP chieftains in Akwa Ibom
like former governor, Victor Attah
and former Petroleum minister, Don
Etiebet have been constantly
harassed, insulted and humiliated by
Akpabio. In the course of the
presidential campaigns, Akpabio
heaped insults on our presidential
candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, who
by God’s grace won the election.
During PDP’s presidential campaign
rally in Uyo, Akpabio said: ‘Mr
President (referring to then
President Jonathan), some people
were trained to be soldiers only, and
so they do not have certificate…
They can only shoot guns….Buhari is
not qualified to be president as he
does not have certificates’.
The video is available on YouTube.
Akpabio’s eight-year tenure as
governor is trailed with controversies
for the over N400 billion debt he left
behind (owed to the banks and
contractors), lack of transparency,
reckless spending and politically
motivated violence and murders.
Instead of being admitted into the
APC, he should stay back in PDP and
give account of his stewardship in
accordance with the anti-corruption
mantra of the Buhari administration.
former governor of Akwa Ibom State,
GodsWill Akpabio and his successor,
U
dom Emmanuel, have been visiting
key leaders of the APC to pave the
way for their defection to the party
has once again brought to the fore
the inherent weaknesses in our
politics.
Should they be welcomed into the
party, the APC would appear more as
a group of people with weak moral
content and poor ideological standing
than an ideologically driven political
party.
In addition, such a cross over, if it
happens, will irredeemably rubbish
the anti-corruption brand of the
Buhari administration and
irredeemably weaken the legal case
instituted by Umana Okon Umana,
the APC governorship candidate in
Akwa Ibom state against the
disputed election of Udom
Emmanuel.
Let’s examine the Akpabio
phenomenon. Between May 2007
and the first half of 2009, Akpabio
maintained a chummy relationship
with President Yara’Adua, but was
noticeably lukewarm towards then
vice president, Goodluck Jonathan.
When Yara’Adua became too sick to
function, Akpabio led a major
campaign against the emergence of
Jonathan as the acting president
because he had always nursed the
ambition of being picked as the vice
president in 2011. This was publicly
confirmed by Senator Aloysius Etok,
his representative in the senate. As
soon as Jonathan became the Acting
President, Akpabio turned around
and became his cheer leader.
The defeat of Jonathan on March 11
was a big disappointment for Akpabio
who blamed the former president for
not taking extreme measures to
guarantee him victory. The former
governor had long wanted to be ‘an
enduring national political figure that
is relevant in one administration to
another’. His role model is Tony
Anenih. But the defeat of Jonathan
and the prospect of the loss of his
senatorial seat at the tribunal have
rankled with him endlessly. So,
quickly, he ditched Jonathan as soon
as he conceded defeat.
There are many reasons why Akpabio
and Governor Udom Emmmanuel
should not be admitted into the
APC. It is widely known that the
elections in Akwa Ibom State were
flawed, conducted in breach of the
INEC electoral guidelines and the
2010 Electoral Law. Over 30 Akwa
Ibom people were killed on the day
of the governorship election across
the state by in widespread violence.
The APC in the state, led by its
governorship candidate, Mr Umana
Okon Umana, has filed a petition
against the purported election of
Udom Emmanuel.
Evidence that Udom was not duly
elected is overwhelming, one of
which is that data obtained from
INEC head office in Abuja shows that
the total number of accredited
voters captured by card readers for
the gubernatorial and House of
Assembly elections in Akwa Ibom
State was 437,128, but the figure
declared by the state INEC office was
1,122,836. By INEC guidelines, use
of the card reader was mandatory in
the gubernatorial and House of
Assembly elections. If they join the
APC, Umana’s case will be diluted or
he could even be compelled to drop
it; and all the sacrifices of Akwa
Ibom people who deserve justice
would be in vain.
It should noted that Akpabio’s
election into the senate is also being
challenged vigorously by the APC
candidate, Chief Inibehe Okori. Their
defection into the APC would
therefore tantamount to laundering
their ill-gotten mandates just like
criminals are always eager to launder
proceeds of crime. It will also be
morally reprehensible and politically
repugnant if these two men join our
party. Umana and thousands of his
supporters were driven out of the
PDP by Akpabio to create unimpeded
opportunity for the imposition of
Udom during the primaries.
Many PDP chieftains in Akwa Ibom
like former governor, Victor Attah
and former Petroleum minister, Don
Etiebet have been constantly
harassed, insulted and humiliated by
Akpabio. In the course of the
presidential campaigns, Akpabio
heaped insults on our presidential
candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, who
by God’s grace won the election.
During PDP’s presidential campaign
rally in Uyo, Akpabio said: ‘Mr
President (referring to then
President Jonathan), some people
were trained to be soldiers only, and
so they do not have certificate…
They can only shoot guns….Buhari is
not qualified to be president as he
does not have certificates’.
The video is available on YouTube.
Akpabio’s eight-year tenure as
governor is trailed with controversies
for the over N400 billion debt he left
behind (owed to the banks and
contractors), lack of transparency,
reckless spending and politically
motivated violence and murders.
Instead of being admitted into the
APC, he should stay back in PDP and
give account of his stewardship in
accordance with the anti-corruption
mantra of the Buhari administration.
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