The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio said since age has no political boundary, there is a need to give respect to the elders in the society.
Akpabio, a one-time Akwa Ibom Governor from 2007 to 2015 stated this on Saturday when he paid a surprise visit to Chief Michael Afangide in his country home in Ikot Umoessien, Essien Udim local government area of Akwa Ibom.
Afangide, the estranged political godfather of Akpabio for more than 15 years, standing throughout the visit, was taken aback by the minister’s visit to his home.
Akpabio fell out of political grace of Afangide as soon as he defected from Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to All Progressives Congress, APC, in August 2018.
Though Afangide, a PDP stalwart since 1999 turned down all entreaties to join Akpabio, his political son in the new political home, his son- Godwin, a one-time Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Akwa Ibom, abandoned his father and joined Akpabio in APC.
Senator Akpabio said “Nobody has ever become a governor of Cross River and Akwa Ibom State without visiting you. This is the man we call the oracle of politics.
“My coming here is to bring felicitations of President Muhammadu Buhari to you. I want you to know that age has no political boundary. What should be respected, should be respected. God has kept you up to 100 years that we will celebrate this week.
“I have arrived here as one of his political sons and a Minister of Niger Delta Affairs. Don’t do a birthday of PDP but as Chief Michael A. Afangide,” he admonished.
During the unscheduled visit to Afangide who will celebrate his 100 years on earth this week together with Akpabio was standing unable to mutter a word.
In the February 23 Presidential/National Assembly Elections, Akpabio of APC lost to Chris Ekpenyong of PDP with a wide margin.
Political observers see the visit as a fence-mending mission by Akpabio to reconcile with his fractured political groups and his estranged leaders preparatory to the re-run election of Akwa Ibom Northwest Senatorial District.
In November 2019, the Appeal Court in Calabar ordered a re-run in Essien Udim, home local government area of Akpabio and directed Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to collect Certificate of Return from Senator Ekpenyong.
Apart from paying homage to Chief Afangide, Akpabio also attended the convocation of Ritman University, Ikot Ekpene founded by Senator Emmanuel Ibokessien, a PDP stalwart.
Akpabio who is a Chancellor of the university had the opportunity of meeting Senator Ekpenyong of PDP who will contest with him in the re-run election yet to be announced by INEC. Both of them exchanged banters.
The move by Akpabio is seen by political observers as a way of trying to rebuild broken political walls to pave way for him and Emmanuel Akpan of APC going for a re-run in Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency to sweep the polls during the forthcoming elections.
