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Tag: Akwa Ibom APC

  • Group excited as thousands of PDP members defect to APC in A’Ibom

    Group excited as thousands of PDP members defect to APC in A’Ibom

    There is excitement and jubilation in Akwa Ibom state over the defection of thousands of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The APC Media Network in a statement at the weekend welcomed the defectors in Ika local government area of the state to the APC, saying the ruling party is the only “functional aircraft for Nigerians to fly”.

    The statement signed by it’s Director General, Otuekong Iniobong John the hailed President Bola Tinubu, the Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the chairman National Assembly Service Commission, Dr. Saviour Enyiekere for making the APC attractive to Nigerians through their Sterling performance and exemplary leadership.

    The group said in the statement that, “We believe that this defection is just the beginning of a new era of growth and prosperity for our party in Ika Local Government Area.

    “The floodgates of defections into our party have been opened, and we look forward to welcoming more Nigerians who share our vision for a better future. We are confident that together, we can achieve great things and build a brighter future for our nation”.

    Our correspondent reports that the defectors include Malachi Ukpe, the immediate past chairman of Ika local government, Iboro Nelson, the immediate past Ika local government AChapter Chairman of the PDP.

    Others are Utibe Cletus, the immediate past Leader of the Ika Legislative Council.

    The defectors were received into the APC by the Chairman National Assembly Service Commission, Dr. Saviour Enyiekere at his country home in Ika.

    “We salute these courageous individuals for taking the bold step of quitting a party that is demonstrably inoperable and unsafe for travel. They have chosen to join our party, which is fit and ready to fly to greater heights. We welcome them with open arms and look forward to working with them to build a stronger, more prosperous Ika Local Government Area.

    “We appreciate Rt. Hon. Chief Saviour Enyiekere for his tireless efforts in making our party strong and viable. His contributions to the growth and prosperity of our great party have been well-documented, and we are grateful for his leadership.

    “We also appreciate the Grand Leader of our party, Senator Godswill Akpabio, for leading the party to greater heights and making it an attractive option for Nigerians seeking a better future”, the statement reads in parts.

  • ‘YPP governorship candidate’s defection a boost for Akwa Ibom APC’

    ‘YPP governorship candidate’s defection a boost for Akwa Ibom APC’

    The defection of the governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in the 2023 general election, Senator Bassey Akpan, has been described as a big boost for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State.

    Akpan, who lost his appeal at the Federal Appeal Court to Governor Umo Eno, defected to the APC last weekend alongside the state Chairman of YPP, Nyeneime Andy, at Ukana, Essien Udim home of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

    United States-based medical professional and humanist, Dr. Marshall Umoren, described the development as a “huge plus to APC”, during a phone interview with The Nation in Uyo.

    He said: “Sen Akpan’s (OBA’s) defection is a huge plus for APC in Akwa Ibom. His defection is bringing a lot of good fortune to the party, considering the dynamics of party politics in Nigeria.”

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    Umoren added: “OBA (as Sen. Akpan is often addressed by associates and his political followers) is bringing a lot of things into APC, and this may be the game-changer in 2027.”

    “His popularity, political acumen, capacity and mobilisational ability at the grassroots will bring about a considerable Teutonic shock, especially with his mass appeal to youths.”

    He said Akpan is a great dislodgement and shift of youth energy and power across the political structures of the state.

    “He has been reckoned with in political circles as a great influencer, especially while he was subsisting within the ruling PDP in the state. 

    “His growing influence is not in the least whittling. Given his deft ability to ginger youths and possessing the acknowledged outreach to increasingly identify with the grassroots, this can indeed be the needed tonic to re-galvanise his political machinery,” Umoren noted.

  • A’Ibom APC: INEC tampering with materials

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom has claimed it has concrete evidence the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state has started doctoring election materials.

    The party claimed that it is in custody of a text message sent by the INEC’s state administrative secretary, one Mr. Patta, summoning staff of the commission to duty on Sunday to ‘work’ on election materials.

    A statement by the state publicity secretary of APC, Mr. Nkereuwem Enyonekere, alleged: “A text message sent to some staff this Sunday morning by the Secretary Admin, Mr. Patta, says: ‘Good morning Sir. Please kindly come to the office now as some people are expected to work on election materials. Thanks, Secretary Admin’’.

    The party alleged the INEC Resident National Electoral Commission (REC), Mike Igini, is tampering with the governorship/State House of Assembly election materials of  March 9, 2019 to frustrate the petition filed by its governorship candidate, Obong Nsima Ekere.

    The statement reads: “The Independent National Electoral Commission office in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State has summoned its staff to work on Sunday, March 31 ‘to work on election materials’.

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    “We believe that INEC officials are being summoned to the office by Mr. Patta to tamper with or destroy evidence related to the 2019 general election.

    “This is obviously prompted by the filling of a petition last week at the Akwa Ibom Election Petition Tribunal by Mr. Nsima Ekere, the APC governorship candidate in the March 9 election, challenging the fraudulent announcement of Udom Emmanuel as the winner. Other APC candidates have also filed their petitions”.

    The APC recalled it had months leading up to the elections joined voices with notable Akwa Ibom people and had written to the INEC chairman, Prof Mahmud Yakubu, requesting the redeployment of Igini.

    According to the party, the REC was a deeply compromised electoral officer, who through his actions and statements gave him away as being sympathetic and partial to Governor. Udom Emmanuel, and the PDP.

    It regretted that the request was not granted.

    “The bias of Mr Igini in favour of the PDP showed through his conduct of the election as evidenced in the collusion and connivance of INEC staff and ad hoc staff with the PDP”.

    Responding, Igini denied authorising the doctoring of election materials, saying all materials used in the conduct of the March 9 elections are safe.

    Igini, who spoke through the state publicity officer of INEC, Mr. Don Etukudoh, said all political parties are free to inspect election

    materials to confirm if they have been destroyed or doctored.

    “The APC in the state has been consistent in their accusations against the commission so we are not surprised.

    “The commission in the state under Mr. Igini has a lot of integrity and would not succumb to blackmail,” he said.

  • Akwa Ibom APC seeks tribunal’s relocation to Abuja

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom has asked the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice to relocate all election tribunals from the state to Abuja.

    In a letter by the State Chairman, Ini Okopido, APC said the move became necessary in view of plots by the Resident Electoral Commission (REC), Mike Igini, the state government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to perpetrate electoral fraud.

    Okopido said the trio were planning to destroy electoral materials needed to substantiate APC’s petition.

    The statement reads: “We observe with deep regrets that since Mr. Mike Igini superintended over the worst general elections ever conducted in Akwa Ibom State, the REC is now unveiling a grand scheme to thwart and create a chaotic environment to pave way for the pervasion of justice.

    “We have been reliably informed that the REC is now intimidating electoral officers, particularly, Collation Officers, Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs), Presiding Officers (POs) and Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs), by using hired assassins and PDP killer squad to forcefully coerce them to concoct and fabricate reports of violence, ballot paper snatching, to justify Igini’s clandestine activities days after the purported declaration of results.

    “This latest action has vindicated our stand that Igini is a biased umpire, heavily compromised by the Akwa Ibom State government to truncate the smooth conduct of credible elections.

    “We, therefore, reiterate that INEC under Igini cannot guarantee credibility and fair play as demonstrated with this plot hatched to frustrate the electoral process.”

    The party said relocating the election tribunal to Abuja would forestall a breakdown of law and order, and reiterated its call for Igini’s redeployment “to allow a level-playing ground” for all parties.

    But Igini debunked the allegations, saying: “On the allegation that the commission is destroying ballot papers needed to substantiate election petition at the tribunal, I challenge anyone to come forth with proof to show where and when such thing happened.”

    Igini said it was ridiculous for anyone to link him with electoral fraud, adding that he was just and unbiased in the elections, and did not play any role in determining who Akwa Ibom voters choose.

    “Mike Igini was not in any of the 298 polling units where elections held. I was not in any of the local government collation centres where the results were collated and announced.

    “The people of Akwa Ibom openly expressed their will on whom to govern them through the ballot, and that was what happened in the elections. The people have spoken. My job was only to supervise the elections,” he added.

  • Akwa Ibom APC post-congress leadership tussle ends

    The leadership tussle caused by the state congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State has ended.

    Members of the former APC state executive led by Dr Effiong Etok, the former state secretary and two former senatorial chairmen, Obong Kufre Inyangette and Obong Uko Umoh, at the weekend announced the withdrawal of their court case against the APC state chairman, Hon Ini Okopido, and other members of his executive.

    Dr Effiong Etok, the former state secretary, who spoke on behalf of the former executive, said they refused to join Dr Udoma Ekarika, the man they supported to be state chairman, when he defected to PDP on Monday because of their love for APC and intervention of former Governor Godswill Akpabio.

    “We have to move forward,”  Etok said.

    Chief Don Etiebet, the Chairman of APC state caucus, thanked Dr Etok and other members of the old executive for allowing peace to reign.

    “We have all sank our differences. All the leaders of the party have resolved to work together. Whatever were our misgivings, we believe what God said that you must love your neighbour as you love yourself. We are forgiving ourselves and we are working together for one purpose. This is the new APC moving forward.”

    Akpabio also thanked the members of the former executive for agreeing to withdraw their court case against the state congress that produced the present executive.

    The former Senate Minority Leader said he intervened because he did not want the party to be bogged down by legal tussle.

    Akpabio thanked Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Managing Director Obong Nsima Ekere  for backing and enabling the reconciliation process.

  • Day Akwa Ibom APC agreed to sheathe swords

    Sir: The ward congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) took place simultaneously across Nigeria over the weekend, Saturday, to be precise.

    While the exercise was largely successful in some states, violent skirmishes were recorded in several states including Rivers State and Ekiti State, where murder incidences were recorded. In Akwa Ibom State, what pundits predicted to be violence-ridden panned out to be headlined by a reconciliatory meeting were principal officers of the party agreed to bury perceived differences and work for the progress of the party.

    For years, festering discordant tune wafted in the Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the party. Courtesy of a deep-rooted gladiatorial conflict for the control of the soul of the party, APC was split into two factions. In spite of serial attempts by stakeholders to play-down the fact that indeed factions existed in the party, it was glaring that all was not well with the party.

    The national leadership of the party had ratified the Dr. Amadu Attai led bloc after the governorship primary of the party in 2014. This compelled Senator John Udoedehe and his supporters to run a parallel faction, insisting that due process wasn’t followed as per the governorship primary of 2014. Senator Udoedehe accused a former governorship candidate of the party, Obong Umana Okon Umana, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), of hijacking the party structure from him. The current Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Obong Nsima Ekere, who later pitched tent with the Umana camp, was equally vilified by the Udoedehe camp.

    It is on record that both factions have chapter offices in respective Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State.

    Even as many thought the status-quo would remain beyond Saturday’s ward congress, the bigwigs stunned many with a pleasant surprise. Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on National Assembly (Senate) Matters, Senator Ita Enang, accepted the national assignment of brokering peace. It was later revealed that negotiations took three days to come to fruition.

    It was however a bitter-sweet experience for supporters in both factions: while some rejoiced; others who reaped massively while the acrimony lasted, cursed their luck and wished it could continue.

    Addressing journalists at the party secretariat in Uyo, Senator Ita Enang, divulged that the reconciliatory meeting was necessary because “APC can only succeed as a strong, united team.”

    Leaders of the party took turns to express their joy over the peace accord. Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Obong Nsima Ekere, stated that “what is paramount is the interest of the party”, saying they are “committed to building a strong and viable APC.”

    Ekere noted that they are determined to work for the successful reelection bid of President Muhammadu Buhari in the state in 2019.

    On his part, a former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Senator John Udoedehe, said the stakeholders saw the need “to collapse all our interests” for the sake of “a viable APC in Akwa Ibom. All our rancour is over.”

    A veteran politician and Chairman, Akwa Ibom State APC Caucus, Atuekong Don Etiebet, said the reconciliation is an indictor of the high level of maturity exhibited by leadership of the party.

    Former governorship candidate of the party and Managing Director of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority, Mr. Umana Umana, said the resolution invariably implies that the era of internal crisis in the APC has finally elapsed.

    Other key stakehpolder who raised encomium over the Akwa Ibo APC example include, Senator Nelson Effiong; Group Captain Sam Ewang (rtd);  Mrs Rachel Akpabio, APC South-south women leader and Alhaji Balrabe Musa, leader of the APC monitoring team.

    Now that the gladiators have decided to bury the hatchet and forge ahead in unity, lessons should be learnt from the past. A man who does not know where the rain began to beat him cannot say where he dried his body, so says an Igbo Proverb. Antics capable of reinjuring old scares should be avoided; this way, APC will provide stout opposition to the ruling PDP in the state.

     

    • Ofonime Honesty, Uyo.
  • Akwa Ibom APC expels Akpanudoedeghe

    Akwa Ibom APC expels Akpanudoedeghe

    A former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator John Akpanudoedeghe, was expelled on Monday from All Progressives Congress (APC) by the Akwa Ibom State Executive Committee (SEC).
    Some of his sins, according to the party, are: alleged “sponsorship of thugs and disgruntled elements on January 18, to attack, harass, intimidate and cause grievous bodily harm on workers and executive members of the party at the state secretariat located at 4 Atiku Abubarkar Avenue, Uyo, in contravention of Article 21 A (vii) of the party’s constitution.
    “Past and most recent unauthorised publications (copies attached as Annexture D) with intention to malign, ridicule, and further cause confusion and disunity within the party, thereby contravening Article 21 A (v) of the party’s constitution, etc.”
    The expulsion was contained in a letter addressed to the APC National Vice Chairman/Zonal Chairman Southsouth, titled: Expulsion of Senator John James Akpanudoedeghe.
    The letter reads: “Consequent upon the ratification of Senator Akpanudoedeghe’s suspension and the recommendation of his expulsion from the party by the Uyo chapter’s Executive Committee of the APC, which emanated from his earlier suspension by the Executive Committee of his Ward, that is, APC Ward 6 in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State Executive Committee wishes to state as follows:
    “That whereas we had received a letter of ratification of suspension in respect to Senator Akpanudoedeghe, dated January 16, from the Uyo chapter’s Executive Committee, signed by not less than 28 out of 37 members of the Exco (copy attached as Annexture A).
    “Whereas the ratification of suspension followed an earlier suspension of the same person by the APC’s Ward 6 Exco in a letter signed on their behalf by Messrs Michael Tom and Uyoata Sunday, Ward Chairman and Ward Secretary, on January 9 (copy attached as Annexture B).
    “Whereas the action of the Ward Executive Committee resulted from an earlier petition by some stakeholders of the party to wit: Messrs Solomon John and Effiong Uboh, dated December 18, 2016, in which they accused Senator Akpanudoedeghe of allegedly committing series of anti-party offences (copy attached as Annexture C).
    “And whereas the State Executive Committee, from the time of receipt of the letter and the evidence attacked thereto, up until the time of taking this decision, has not received any letter of appeal from the accused, Senator Akpanudoedeghe, contradicting the allegations against him.
    “…Consequently, Senator Akpanudoedeghe, who, until this decision, was a member of the State Caucus of the APC, is hereby expelled forthwith from the party, in line with Article 13.7 (vi).
    “In transmitting to you, Mr Zonal/ National Chairman and the Zonal Executive Committee of our great party our unanimous resolution and decision, the State Executive Committee wishes to draw your attention to our earlier letters dated September 1, 2015, in respect to the expelled Senator Akpanudoedeghe, even as we reiterate our unalloyed loyalty to the party’s national leadership as well as our collective resolve to defend its principles.”
    It was gathered efforts by the senator’s loyalists to allegedly burn down the state secretariat was foiled by the police.

  • Akwa Ibom APC petitions INEC over plot to rig elections

    The Akwa Ibom State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has petitioned the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Attahiru Jega on an alleged rigging plan orchestrated by the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) .

    The petition  signed by Dr Amodu Attai  alleged that  the party has perfected plan  to compromise the ad-hoc members of staff of INEC.

    Attai alleged that the sensitive materials, such as collation and final result sheets have been fraudulently obtained by the state government from INEC officials in Uyo.

    APC alleged that on  Monday, most members of the NYSC deployed to the state were invited to the Government House, Uyo as part of the plot.

    “Reliable intelligence from the meeting indicates that each NYSC member was given N250, 000 for his/her cooperation,” he alleged.

    The party also alleged that the Akwa Ibom State Transport Company has been engaged to transfer the fake election materials.

    The APC urged Jega to monitor all INEC employees so that they would not rubbish the commission’s good intention.

    The party also appealed to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) not to be a willing tool to subvert the peoples will.