Reports making rounds in some media organisations in the country on the purported resignation of Moses Ekpo as Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor are seen by his chief press secretary as ‘’a poorly concocted piece of a malicious hatchet job and a pack of lies, and should be appropriately ignored.’’
Nairaland, Daily Post, News Agency and Naija.com, Monday, published that the deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pa Moses Ekpo has reportedly resigned his position as the state’s number two citizen to join Senator Godswill Akpabio, immediate past governor of the state, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, this week.
However, Ekikere Umoh, Chief Press Secretary to the deputy governor in a press release in Uyo on Monday, headlined: AK Deputy Governor debunks resignation story reacted, ‘’The attention of the Office of the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State has been drawn to certain rumours and misrepresentations in a section of the media to the effect that the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Moses F. Ekpo, MFR, has resigned from office.
The reports particularly from the online community further make allusions to the effect that the Deputy Governor has also defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.’’
Umoh stated, ‘’Given the temperament of the times and the implications of such innuendos, we are constrained to categorically state as follows:
(i) There is no iota of truth in the story making the rounds.
(ii) The purported report is therefore nothing but a poorly concocted piece of a malicious hatchet job and a pack of lies, and should be appropriately ignored.
(iii) It is instructive to note that currently, His Excellency, the Deputy Governor is representing the State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel as Special Guest of Honour at the 2018 International Convention of Ati Annang holding in New York, United States of America, and is yet to return to the state.
(iv) In his reaction to the rumour from New York on phone today, the Deputy Governor said “I have not resigned. I have no reason whatsoever to resign or jump ship from a government that is both responsive and performing optimally, while giving practical meaning to democratic dividends for the people of Akwa Ibom. I cannot, and will not jump ship”
(v) To that extent, he has called on Akwa Ibom people, both at home and in the Diaspora, as well as the PDP family in the state to remain resolute and committed to support the Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, to take Akwa Ibom to the next level.’’
Collaborating the story, Mr. Charles Udoh, the State’s Commissioner of Information and Strategy, who spoke with Daily Post, dismissed the report as a ploy by mischief makers to manipulate the polity for their selfish gains.
Udoh said: “If he (Pa Ekpo) has truly tendered his resignation letter, my office will be the first to let the public know. The government will speak about it officially. The report is part of the bad politics we are talking about, which some mischievous politicians from the state play to create a buzz and distract the public as they pursue their selfish interests.”
Recall that the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), published that though the resignation has not been confirmed officially by the Akwa Ibom State Government, but an APC media organ (@APC Newspaper) has tweeted that Ekpo, the oldest deputy governor in Nigeria, has tendered his resignation letter.
“BREAKING: @MrUdomEmmanuel’s Deputy, Pa Moses tenders resignation. To join @SenatorAkpabio in @OfficialAPCNg on Wednesday,” the tweet read.
