Senator Godswill Akpabio’s factional Chairman, Stephen Leo Ntukekpo, has been sworn in as Akwa Ibom State chairman of the All Progressives Congress, by the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
The event was witnessed by other members of the National Working Committee on Monday at the Party’s National Secretariat, Abuja.
Recall that Ntukekpo’s swearing in came days after the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, dismissed an Appeal by the defunct CECPC and affirmed the Federal High Court ruling that was declared in favour of Obong Stephen Ntukekpo.
By this swearing in, Mr. Austin Ekanem, the factional Chairman of Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, the immediate past Secretary of the APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the party has been benched.
According to Adamu, “Let me, on behalf of the members of the National Working Committee of our great party congratulate you on your inauguration as the Akwa Ibom State chairman of our party. This is a demonstration of our respect for the rule of law and as a law abiding organisation.
Read also: Appeal Court orders status Quo in Akwa Ibom APC Exco
“We charge you to return home and reunite the members, grow the party and lead it to victory in all elections. Be assured of our support in this task. We are equally confident that you will succeed in this task because we believe in your ability.
“No group has lost out and no group has won because we are one united political family. I know Akwa Ibom State has proven men, that are led by a man; Senator Godswill Akpabio, who is a man of integrity. I know him to be a man that can bring everyone together. What we need is that togetherness”, the chairman declared.
Speaking shortly after the Oath of office and allegiance were administered on Obong Ntukekpo, the National Chairman charged him to ensure the unity, progress and success of the party in the spirit of no winner, no vanquished.
Receiving the chairman and some members of his EXCO in his office, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Akpabio, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the party for standing firm and ensuring that the the rule of law prevails in the running of the party.
In his remarks, the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State gave a chronological description of how the insistence of some party leaders and stakeholders, that the right thing be done in the running of the party in the state, led to the recognition of Ntukekpo as the authentic chairman of the party.
According to him, “the office of the chairman shouldn’t have been given to anybody from Uyo Senatorial District, because the governorship ticket of the party in 2023 is zoned to Uyo. I took it up with some leaders of the party and they said we are going to change it later and I said how? I reminded them that we have just finished our Congresses and we are lucky that somebody from Eket Senatorial District just emerged as the chairman of the party, so why do we behave like the Ostrich?”
“For us to have harmony in the state chapter of the party and to perform creditably and face the opposition with strength in 2023, we need to give the chairmanship to another District, so that the governorship can come from Uyo Senatorial District.
”I don’t have any problem with anybody’s aspiration. I can no longer be a governor by Nigeria’s Constitution. I can only be a stakeholder and a man of peace. I can only push you people up and pray that the God that assisted me to where I am today, can also assist you.”
The former Senate Minority Leader admonished the chairman to see his victory as the handiwork of God and should therefore, move immediately into uniting the party saying, “you are not APC State Chairman to make me anything.
”You’re chairman to assist Mr President and the leadership of the party to be victorious in all elections in the state. Make sure you unite all contending forces within the party, so that as a united entity, we will face the opposition, defeat them and take over the reins of the leadership of our dear state.
”This party almost took over the South-South region including Akwa Ibom State in 2019, but because of internal sabotage we failed. We never knew that after our campaigns, they left from there for another meeting at night.”
Akpabio declared that, “my prayers is that may God almighty push away all those who sabotaged this party in 2019 to leave us alone and join APGA or LP so that this party will get the victory that God kept for us in 2023.”
In his speech, Ntukekpo thanked Akpabio and other members of the party who stood firmly behind him and the party, when the goings were tough, saying, “with all amount of humility, I am here before you to tell you that we are very much disposed having been given this opportunity on trust, to do all these so that we will be able to achieve that onerous task which is to get to the Government House in 2023.”
Akpanudoedehe writes Senator Adamu
Meanwhile, Senator Akpanudoedehe, has written Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the party’s National Chairman, demanding his full compliance with the order of the court on Akwa Ibom APC.
In a letter by his lawyers, Akpanudoedehe has therefore asked the APC Chairman to quickly reverse the action he took so as not to foist a state of helplessness on the appellate court
He maintained that Ntukekpo, INEC and APC, respondents in the case were all present in court when the order was granted.
The text read: “We have the instruction of Senator John James Akpanudoedehe herein after referred to as our client to write to you regarding the aforesaid subject matter
“According to our client he was personally in the Court of Appeal on the 7° of April 2022 and in the presence of the 1* Respondent Stephen Leo Ntukekpo) and their Counsel as well as the Counsel to All Progressives Congress (4° Respondent) in the Appeal amongst other Respondents, who were all represented In court when the Court of Appeal directed all the parties In the Appeal to maintain the Status Quo pending the hearing and the determination Of the pending applications being Motion for Stay of Execution as well as challenge on the Courts Jurisdiction on the 17” May 2022 A copy of the said Order for emphasis is attached hereto for ease of reference and marked annexure J3A01,
‘”Our client further confirmed, that the order has also been served on the All Progressives Congress at its National Head Quarters.
‘”Surprisingly in spite and despite your Party’s presence in court and the service of the order on your party, you proceeded to take deliberate steps to overreach the order of the Court of Appeal by purporting to swear-in the It Respondent ‘as the State Chairman APC Akwa Ibom State on the 11th of April 2022, long ‘after the order of the Court of Appeal had been made to your knowledge.
“One ‘wonders to what end this will lead as the Independent National Electoral Commission was represented in court and is under a duty to obey the extant orders of the Court, the order for of Status ‘Quo that was made in this case.
“There Is no doubt that your action is allowed to stand would have foisted a ‘situation of helplessness on the Honourable Court with respect to the hearing. and the determination of the pending Motion for Stay of Execution. This Should not happen as courts are act known to make orders in vain.
“Take notice, therefore, that by this letter you are accorded 24 hours to reverse every action taken by you that has overreached extant orders of the Honourable Court of Appeal directing that status quo be maintained”.
Akpanudedehe warned that should the APC National Chairman fail to heed the wording of the letter, he will not hesitate to seek necessary legal remedies.
“In the event that you fail to comply with the dictates of this letter, we shall without reverting to you any further, take appropriate procedural steps within, ‘the law to ensure that your actions are referred and brought in line with the extant Orders of the Honourable Court amongst other sanctions known to law ‘The Rule of Law should prevail at all times. We say no more.”
