Ahead of the 2027 general elections, All Progressives Congress (APC), hitherto dogged by intra-party crisis, appears to be on a fence mending to grab Akwa Ibom State.
At the moment, Pastor Umo Eno who is the Akwa Ibom Governor is a member of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a party that has dominated the state since 1999.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio imagined that it would be an aberration if the party does not produce a Governor in Akwa Ibom State in 2027.
Speaking at a meeting of the APC leaders in Uyo, the state capital, Akpabio said “It will be an aberration for the number three citizen not to have a governor from the same party at the end of an election.”
“You know, wherever the Senate President is, that is where the party is. Is it possible that Nigeria will give Akwa Ibom the number three citizen and at the end of the election, it will not produce an APC governor?” he asked.
Also read: As Akwa Ibom APC Gov crisis festers, Enang heads to Supreme Court
Akpabio, who acknowledged the internal crisis in the APC in the state, said the party could not win the 2023 Senatorial election in Akwa Ibom North-East and Akwa Ibom South districts due to “lack of coordination.”
He advised the party to set up a committee to reconcile the party leaders in the state ahead of the 2027 general election.
“I’ve mandated the chairman of the party to set up a reconciliation committee in the state; we have to bring our members together. If we are united, there is no barrier that we can’t break.
Read also: Nigerians owe the fallen heroes respect, honour- Akpabio
“We will make sure that (the) APC in Akwa Ibom is one; we will give people the option that either you belong to us or them.
“They should not be in-between. We are going to resolve all the issues in APC, we are going to advise some people you can’t be here and there,” the Senate president said.
Earlier, the APC Chairperson in Akwa Ibom, Stephen Ntukekpo, had lauded President Bola Tinubu for “ensuring inclusiveness” in his administration and pledged his loyalty to the party.
Meanwhile, defection fever gripped Young Progressives Party (YPP) as the party bundled its 10,000 members to All Progressives Congress (APC) during the weekend.
In the 2023 governorship election, the party secured the second-highest number of valid votes and won two seats in the House of Assembly and one in the House of Representatives, according to results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The party has merged its structures across the state into the APC, in solidarity with Akpabio, as confirmed by a statement from the Senate president’s media office in Abuja.
The governorship candidate of the YPP in the 2023 general election, Senator Bassey Albert, along with the deputy governorship candidate, retired AIG Asuquo Amba; the State Executive Committee led by State Chairman Mr. Nyeneime Andy; the Elders’ Council; chapter and ward officers, and the entire executive council of the Akwa Ubok Abasi Campaign Organisation paid a solidarity visit to the Senate President at his residence in Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area of the state.
During this visit, they declared their support for President Bola Tinubu on Friday, January 19, by merging its structures across the state into the APC.
Expressing the party’s stance during the solidarity visit to the Senate President, Ephraim Inyang-Eyen, the YPP candidate for the Eket Senatorial District in the 2023 election, conveyed that the party members reached a unanimous decision to merge with the APC.
Inyang-eyen said: “We have come to tell you that the time has come for us to make necessary adjustments for the growth of Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria.
“We have come with a message of solidarity to you. The last time a person from the South-South zone occupied the position of the Senate President was about 44 years ago. We are determined to stand by you and support you.
“We are satisfied with the economic policy of President Bola Tinubu. We are determined to stand by you and strengthen your hand so that you can achieve more.
“We have come wholeheartedly to pledge our solidarity. We have come to make a fundamental commitment. After the Supreme Court judgment, we came to a decision and the right decision was that we should support the APC.
“We have come with the totality of the YPP family in solidarity. This solidarity is not word of mouth, it is total. Today, YPP in Akwa Ibom State has become APC. We have come to submit that you lead us,” he said.
OBA speaks
The State YPP Chairman, Apostle Nyeneime Andy, said members of the party are very pleased with policies of the Tinubu’s administration.
Andy said after the rerun election in Ikono/Ini federal constituency and Ibiono Ibom State Constituency, candidates of the party in the two legislative houses will officially defect to the APC.
“Politics is like a football match, you should know that there will always be a time for transfers. So, this is time for transfer. The YPP is very happy and pleased with the way President Bola Tinubu is running the affairs of the country. That is why our Party members said we should take them to APC,” Andy said.
The governorship candidate of the YPP during the 2023 election, Senator Bassey Albert, said the Party joined the APC to support President Tinubu and join hands with the Senate President to ensure that Akwa Ibom is not divided.
“I am a son you sent out and I have come with a lot of sons. I aspired because I knew that the Akwa Ibom State you built is not the Akwa Ibom we have today. I saw my aspiration as opportunity to restore the lost glory of Akwa Ibom State.
“We are here to join hands with you (Senate President) to ensure that Akwa Ibom State is not divided. We have come to submit totally to your leadership. We believe and feel strongly that we safer in APC. After the rerun our members in the House of Representatives and House of Assembly will join us here.”
Senator Albert emphasised that he is not joining the APC to seek election.
“I am not here to contest any election but to support you to deliver Akwa Ibom State to APC.”
Defection excites Akpabio
Responding, Senator Akpabio, acknowledged the growth of the YPP and the capacity the party demonstrated during the 2023 governorship election.
He lauded them for coming out openly to commend Tinubu’s style of administration, policies and programmes aimed at improving the well-being of Nigerians.
“From nothing, you built a recognised political structure in Akwa Ibom State that propelled you to somewhere. Thank you for openly acknowledging that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is leading the nation in the right direction. I tell people, if you can see good governance in Asiwaju, why don’t you join them.
“This is a very uncommon move, you are not joining us because there is an election tomorrow. You are joining us because you have seen good governance.”
Akpabio said the APC will provide equally opportunity to all of them.
The YPP structure was received by the State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Mr Stephen Ntukekpo.
Ntukekpo said he has been mandated by the National Chairman of the APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, to direct all members of the APC to vote for the two candidates of the YPP during the rerun election in Ikono/Ini federal constituency and Ibiono Ibom State Constituency scheduled for next month.
