January 11, (THEWILL) – The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State has assured loyalists that their preferred candidate, Mr Akan Udofia, will be on the ballot in the March 2023 election, as his name had since been forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as the authentic candidate of the party in the state.
The declaration by Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Umana Okon Umana, at a stakeholders’ meeting in Uyo, at the weekend, brought some relief to supporters, who had become apprehensive over the continued delay by INEC to recognise Udofia as the candidate of the party.
THEWILL recalls that Udofia had defeated about five others in the party’s gubernatorial primary last year, but several court cases instituted by some of the defeated aspirants had stalled his recognition by the electoral body.
The Minister, who notified stakeholders that the National Executive Council of the Party had presented the name of Udofia to INEC as its guber candidate in the state, said the process is awaiting confirmation by the court for INEC to do the needful.
Umana, who called for collective support for the candidate, urged the party stakeholders to cease dwelling in the past and look at the bigger picture that the future holds for the party in the state.
“Let us move away from petty bickering and wrangling over the past. Now, we are to focus on the APC presidential rally, while strategic steps are being taken to redress the protracted challenges in our party peacefully”, he said.
Also, a former Presidential aspirant of the party and former governor of the state, Chief Godswill Akpabio, who commended Umana for the timely conveyance of the meeting, maintained that Udofia was the duly elected and recognised gubernatorial candidate of the party and called on all supporters to rally round to ensure the success of the party at the polls.
Akpabio, who sued for peace and unity, said he was personally ready and focused on achieving peace for the party.
On his part, the governorship candidate, Obong Akan Udofia, commended the resilient spirit of members, who have remained faithful and committed to the party and thanked stakeholders for their doggedness and loyalty to the party.
“I am a man of peace and a child of destiny. I have come in peace to build with you. Let’s work together to prosecute the coming general election. Let us bury all the court cases that have held the party back.
“Our challenges and frustrations stem largely from poverty, hunger and lack that has enveloped the majority in the state. I dare say that if we unite to win the election, we shall banish poverty and hunger in our state”, he stated.
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