Akwa Ibom: APC Stakeholders Reject Akpabio As Their Leader

Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa-Ibom State have rejected the choice of Niger Delta Affairs Minister, Senator Godswill Akpabio as party leader in the state.

The stakeholders in their submission said Akpabio was unilaterally appointed by a faction in the state led by Group Captain Sam Ewang (retd).

The group held that Akpabio’s declaration as the leader in Akwa Ibom state contradicts the party’s constitution and therefore can’t stand.

They added that the State Executive Committee was right to have also rejected Akapabio.

Naija News recalls that a former military administrator of Ogun and Rivers State and National caucus member of the party, Group Capt. Sam Enwang (rtd) who back in March 2021, signed a statement announcing Akpabio as the state leader on behalf of other stakeholders, called on the leaders of the party to work towards the advancement of the party.

But at an enlarged stakeholders meeting of the party on Sunday at SheerGrace Arena, other members rejected the choice of Akpabio as their leader.

It was gathered by Naija News that Sunday’s meeting was attended by the National Caretaker Secretary of the APC, Senator John Akpanuodehe, and Managing Director of the Oli and Gas Free Trade Zone Authority, and Obong Umana Okon Umana.

Others were Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs Senator Ita Enang; Sole administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Mr. Efiong Akwa, and Group Captain Sam Ewang (retd) among others.

Akpabio himself didn’t attend the meeting but sent his apologies.

The communique issued at the end of Sunday’s meeting reads: “The stakeholders endorse the decision of the State Executive Committee (SEC) to declare as a nullity the unilateral proclamation and announcement of Sen. Godswill Akpabio as the State Party Leader of APC in gross violation of the Party’s Constitution in the unauthorized and illegal Stakeholders meeting of Sunday, March 28, 2021.

“That the Party hereby reminds every member and the general public that the State Chairman (or Caretaker Chairman as applicable here) is the Chairman of the State Caucus as provided for in Article 12.9 Sub (i) of the party Constitution (October 2014 As Amended) and remains the Party Leader in the State until further notice”.

They urged all party members in the state to join hands together and ensure the APC reclaims power in Akwa Ibom and contributes its quota at other levels.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami has warned that the government will soon take action against Nigerians yet to link their National Identification Numbers (NIN) with their SIM cards.

He stated this on Monday as part of his reactions to an allegation that the United States government placed him on a terrorism watchlist for links with the Boko Haram group.

However, Pantami as part of his reaction stated that criminals who are feeling the heat based on the government policy on NIN-SIM linkage are behind the fake news on his link with the terrorist group.

The Minister noted that he won’t be intimidated as there is no going back on the policy in line with the directives of President Muhammadu Buhari which is targeted at improving security in Nigeria.