In order to gain reelection to the Senate, Senate President Godswill Akpabio is accused by founding members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State of betraying the party by reportedly collaborating with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to undermine the APC.
As for the accusations, Jackson Udom, Akpabio’s Special Assistant on Media, brushed them off as “beer parlour rumors.”
In an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, the irate party members reportedly expressed their grievances and pleaded for him to step in before the Akwa Ibom party disintegrates.
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Peter Ibanga from the Eket Senatorial District, Chief Victor Affiah from the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, and Elder Okokon James from the Uyo Senatorial District all signed the letter.
In the letter, “Worrisome State of APC in Akwa Ibom State: A Call for Your Urgent Intervention,” Akpabio was charged with conspiring with PDP leaders to weaken the state’s APC.
Both Stephen Ntukekpo, the APC State Chairman, and Ekperikpe Ekpo, the Minister of Petroleum, were accused by the signatories of publicly acknowledging that they had carried out Akpabio’s order to destabilize the party in preparation for the 2027 elections.
According to the statement, “This degree of self-centeredness, greed, treachery, and betrayal has never been witnessed by us, the founding fathers of the APC in Akwa Ibom.” Members of the APC are disillusioned since the state’s APC structure was sold to the PDP administration.
The PDP has pledged to support Senator Akpabio’s bid for a third term in return for this betrayal, we have been informed. When Mr. President travels to Akwa Ibom for the 2027 campaigns, there won’t be any party members remaining to greet him if immediate action is not taken.
Rumors that Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno is about to join the APC were also denied by the chieftains, who said that APC officials were undermining their own party while Eno was bolstering the PDP.
“That a state where the Senate President is from has an APC structure in complete chaos is shocking,” they said. Since joining the APC, Akpabio has not demonstrated much dedication to backing President Tinubu’s bid for a second term.
In the event that the APC national leadership does not act quickly, they cautioned, devoted party members in the state would be compelled to join an opposition coalition in time for the 2027 election.
Claims are dismissed by Akpabio’s assistant as “baseless allegations.”
In response, Jackson Udom, Akpabio’s media assistant, denied the accusations, calling them a calculated effort to sow division between the APC and PDP in Akwa Ibom.
In the state of Akwa Ibom, the APC is still powerful. He stated that the people making these accusations are trying to incite needless hostilities between the APC and the PDP, which is led by Senator Akpabio.
He said that Akpabio and Governor Umo Eno have a cordial working relationship and that their political rivals are spreading lies as a result.
“Politics is much more than these unfounded charges,” Udom continued. The peace and tranquility between Akpabio and Governor Eno has led to these people claiming that the APC has been sold out. Let them wait for the start of the election season.
