A group of stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State has written an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of betraying the party’s trust.
The stakeholders claim that Akpabio, along with the party’s state chairman, Mr. Stephen Ntukekpo, and the Minister of Petroleum (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, have sold the party’s soul to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in exchange for PDP’s support for Akpabio’s 2027 third-term ambition.
The letter, signed by Elder Okokon James, Peter Ibanga, and Chief Victor Affiah, expresses concern that the party’s fortunes in the state are dwindling due to the actions of Akpabio and his allies. The stakeholders warn that if urgent action is not taken to revive and strengthen the party in the state, there won’t be party members left to receive President Tinubu when he visits next year to campaign.
The APC stakeholders describe Akpabio’s actions as a betrayal of confidence and treachery against the party, which provided the platform for his Senate Presidency. They assert that Akpabio’s actions are unbelievable, especially given that the party is dead in a state that produces the Senate President and the Minister of Petroleum Resources.
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In response to the allegations, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Senate President, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, dismissed the allegations as spurious and mischievous. Eyiboh claimed that the writers of the letter are non-existent and not known to the party, and that the Senate President has strengthened the party through various appointments he has secured for members.
However, the APC stakeholders remain unconvinced, stating that Governor Umo Eno would neither join the APC nor commit to Tinubu’s second-term ambition. They claim that while Governor Umo Eno and his team are strengthening their party daily, the APC leaders are doing nothing to show that the party still exists in the state.
The crisis in the APC in Akwa Ibom State has been ongoing for some time, with various factions vying for control. The latest allegations against Akpabio are likely to further exacerbate the crisis and create uncertainty for the party’s future in the state.
