Following the emergence of Senator John Akpanudoedehe as the APC Leader in Akwa Ibom, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio has taken his protracted fiasco with the APC National Secretary to a crescendo.
Despite being in Uyo same day, Akpabio conspicuously boycotted the Stakeholders meeting of the Party on Saturday, September 26, and is said to be distraught at the unexpected turn out of events in the Party.
Justifying the choice of Udoedehe, the Party leaders are said to have been disappointed with the poor form of the party since Akpabio joined them in August 2018.
“We were perfectly on ground, but his arrival saw our goodwill completely flushed down the drain, and every misfortunes and killings that characterised his administration, was transferred on us,” a source disclosed.
In their separate opinions at the hurriedly convened stakeholders meeting, they maintained that Akpabio’s leadership since 2019, had been clannish, with all favours being channelled to his close allies and kinsmen, at the expense of those who fought to preserve the party since 2007.
“Since his assumption of duties as a Minster, no party executive member has been consulted in lieu of any federal appointment.
They also frowned that appointees so far considered from the state are mostly sent to non lucrative boards and as such they are unable to be of benefits to the party structure in the state.
“Meanwhile, Sen Udoedehe has carried people along across loyalty lines ever since he was appointed as the National Secretary of our Party”, the stakeholders observed.
According to a participant at the meeting, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Ita Enang, also expressed his frustration in the Niger Delta Ministry with Akpabio whom he said has never consented to any of his project proposals, entitlements and pleasantries at public and private occasions.
He is further said to have asked the State Acting Chairman of the APC, Dr. Ita Udosen to enquire from Akpabio what he (Ita Enang) has done to warrant such level of bile and frustration.
In his remark, the Acting State Chairman had expressed that co-operation and collaboration among leaders of the party was key to collective success.
“The late State Chairman of our great party had consistently harped on this, calling for togetherness, unity, harmony, co-operation and collaboration amongst our leaders simply for the sake and benefits of our teeming party faithful”, he recalled, adding that the “lack of an impactful support for our members is a direct consequence of the perceived discord amongst our leaders, thus leaving our faithful in despair.
The APC Acting chairman said frustrated members “become despondent, desolate and miserable, and this eventually leads to decamping.”
Said Udosen, the “tendency of Federal Appointments to Come from outside APC Family: This is very concerning and unsettling to the party and its members.
“The monkey de work baboon de chop” reward system in our party is very disappointing and discouraging too.
“Please our leaders should work harder to stop this trend. While thanking the National Secretary, Pst. Senator John J. Akpan-Udoedehe for his very inclusive appointments of our members into various party committees recently, we urge him to use his good offices spiritedly to stem further appointments outside APC family.
In a communique later issued, “Stakeholders noted with delight the frequent consultation by the National Secretary (Senator Udoedehe) with other leaders of the Party and sued for more of such engagements going forward.”
