BEVERLY HILLS, April 19, (THEWILL) – It all started with a perceived divisive tendencies of some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, which was brought to the fore in a well-attended stakeholders meeting even as cautions and riot act were issued to those who engage in anti-party activities.
The party had particularly frowned at the attitudes of some leaders of the party who they suspected to be hibernating with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which is the ruling party in the state in the night and return to claim to be APC members in the day.
A communique was issued at the end of the meeting which was held at Vimpy Event Centre, Udoudoma Avenue within the Capital City of Uyo describing such attitude as not only anti-party but one that could lead many into confusion as well as cause division within the party’s ranks in the state.
The communique which was signed by the former military administrator of Ogun and Rivers State and national caucus members of the party, Group Capt. Sam Ewang (retd) called on leadership of the party to work towards the advancement of the party.
The communique read in part “the meeting condemned the divisive gathering of factions within the Party and resolved to call on all factional leaders to bury their individual interests and come under a united APC in Akwa Ibom State.
“The meeting condemned actions by some persons in leadership positions of the party who work with other political parties in the State and are currently romancing the Peoples Democratic Party thereby engaging in anti-party activities and causing confusion among members”.
According to the communique, the meeting further exhaustively discussed, settled and affirmed the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio as the leader of party in the state and called on members to work and cooperate with him for the advancement of the party.
“This meeting has settled the issue of who is the leader of the party in Akwa Ibom State, recognized and affirmed that the Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio is the Leader of the All Progressives Congress in in Akwa Ibom State”
This first meeting was at the instance of a two-time military administrator of Rivers and Ogun states, Group Captain Sam Ewang (retd).
Akpabio, the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, who is known for his liberality did not just take the leadership position accorded him for granted but ensured transport fare for every individual who attended the meeting including babies and infants who were brought by parents.
The atmosphere in the party was lighted as Akpabio was seen by majority of members as the best man for the job at the moment.
It is also common knowledge in the state that though the APC did not win in the state during the 2019 elections for obvious reasons, Akpabio led the party in the state to the National where members met and discuss with the President of the Federal Republic; Muhammadu Buhari and the national leadership of the party.
In a swift reaction, the leadership of a faction of the party rose against the choice of Akpabio as the leader, arguing that leadership quorum was not formed in the meeting that took the all-important decision as such the nomination could not be upheld.
In a recent and an elaborate stakeholders meeting, the party declared all leadership of the factions of the party null and void as a means of bringing peace and sanity to the party ahead of 2023 general elections.
The meeting which was at the instance of the State Caretaker Committee Chairman, Dr. Ita Udosen also annulled the leadership status accorded Senator Godswill Akpabio during one of such factional stakeholders meetings.
Addressing party elders at all levels in Uyo last Sunday, during what could be described as the second stakeholders meeting, the state Caretaker Committee Chairman said it was necessary to collapse all the factions in one fold to avoid disunity and crisis of confidence that robbed the party of victory in the state in 2019.
Udosen explained that the party structure is under a Caretaker arrangements pending when it will conduct party congresses within the next three months and therefore nullified every leadership status accorded to any stakeholder at any meeting in the state for peace to reign.
“The current party structure in the State is under caretaker arrangement with less than three months or so to go. For now, the party at the National level has no BoT nor Caucus. In the same vein, the party at the State is yet to set up its Caucus as well”, he maintained.
The State Executive Committee (SEC) of the party therefore, appealed to all the leaders to sheathe their swords on this issue until the Congresses are conducted for a substantive structure of the party to take over.
“The SEC of the party wishes to reaffirm its earlier stand regarding the purported leadership declaration of March 28, 2021 as a nullity and of no effect till such a time the State party Caucus will be constituted, inaugurated and would meet with SEC to decide on the Leadership of the party in the State.
“This will preferably take place after the Congresses and will convey legitimacy on whosoever will emerge.” Udosen stressed.
The second meeting had a stakeholders outlook as it was attended by the National Caretaker Secretary of the APC, Senator John Akpanuodehe, the managing director of the Oli and Gas Free Trade Zone Authority and Obong Umana Okon Umana among other important stakeholders of the party in the state though the absence of the major bone of contention, Sen. Godswill Akpabio was obvious.
Others were the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Enang, the sole administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Mr. Efiong Akwa, Group Captain Sam Ewang(retd) among others.
Akpabio who was absent at the meeting sent an apology letter which was duely received and read before the end of the meeting.
The communique however dismissed the insinuation that there were factions in the party and urged all leaders of the party from those holding appointive positions to work for the interest and unity of the APC.
To show that the APC in Akwa Ibom is still wallowing in division and indecision, a chieftain of the party, Group Captain Sam Ewang(retd) accused the National Caretaker Secretary of the party, Sen. John James Udoehe of being the brain behind the leadership tussle in the party.
Ewang is accusing Udoedehe of using his position to oppress and hijack the state party structure to oil his political aspiration in 2023.
He told THEWILL in Uyo that the party’s national caretaker scribe is stirring bad blood and opposition against Senator Godswill Akpabio who he said was statutorily the leader of the party in the state.
However, Ewang argued that the Niger Delta Affairs Minister is the party’s highest political officer holder in the state hence should automatically and by convention assume the leadership of the party.
He recalled that the national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the immediate past national chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomole had declared Akpabio the party’s leader in Akwa Ibom during his formal induction ceremony into the APC in 2018 at the Ikot Ekpene Stadium.
Ewang called on President Muhammadu Buhari and elders of the party at the Centre to wade into the crisis rocking the party in the state by categorically coming clear on who the leader of the party in the state is.
He warned that the APC would be dead in the state if leaders of the party fail to close ranks and accept Akpabio as leader for the state to take over power from the Peoples Democratic Party in 2023.
Political onlookers in the state are seeing ethnic colouration in the whole leadership fight, where the Ibibio ethnic group which is the largest in the state do not want Akpabio, from Annang ethnic extraction whom they see as always showing domineering attitude to lead the party where Ibibio people are in the majority.
It is perceived that if Akpabio is given the opportunity to lead the party, he will certainly impose a candidate on the party come 2023.
It is also the fear of the ruling party in the state; the PDP that if the former Governor, decides to impose a candidate from Uyo Senatorial District, APC may clinch the governorship seat in the state and indirectly, he would have a third term in the state.
To ensure that the Ibibios hold on to political power in the state, it is suspected that the powers that be may have planted a fifth columnist in the leadership of the APC
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