BEVERLY HILLS, April 12, (THEWILL) – In its quest to bring peace and unity ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the All Progressive Congress ( APC) has annulled the party leadership by factions.
The party particularly rejected the leadership status accorded Senator Godswill Akpabio during one of the factional stakeholders’ meetings in the state.
Addressing party elders in Uyo at the weekend, the state Caretaker Committee Chairman, Dr. Ita Udosen, said it was necessary to collapse all the factions into one fold to make the party stronger.
“For now, the party at the national level has no BoT or caucus. In the same vein, the party at the state is yet to setup its caucus as well,” Udosen maintained.
The State Executive Committee (SEC) of the party however appealed to all the leaders to sheath their swords on the issue until the congresses were conducted for a substantive structure of the party to take over.
It said: “The SEC of the party wishes to reaffirm its earlier stand regarding the purported leadership declaration of March 28, 2021 as a nullity and of no effect till such a time the State Party Caucus will be constituted and inaugurated to decide on the leadership of the party in the State.
“This will preferably take place after the congresses and will convey legitimacy on whoever will emerge.”
In an eight-point communiqué issued at the end of the stakeholders’ meeting, the party dissociated itself from the purported stakeholders’ meeting that endorsed the Niger Delta Minister, Senator Godswill Akpabio, as leader of the party in the state.
Recall that a group within the party led by a former two-time Military Administrator of Rivers and Ogun states, Group Captain Sam Ewang(retd), had last month endorsed Akpabio as the APC leader in the state.
But in an enlarged second stakeholders’ meeting of the party held at SheerGrace Arena, the party kicked against the unilateral decision of the Ewang group.
The meeting was attended by the National Caretaker Secretary of the APC, Senator John Akpanuodehe, the Managing Director of the Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone Authority and Obong Umana Okon Umana.
Others were the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Enang, the Sole Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Mr. Efiong Akwa, Group Captain Sam Ewang (retd) among others.
Akpabio was absent at the meeting but however sent an apology letter.
The resolution read: ”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.”
The communiqué dismissed the insinuation that there were factions in the party and urged all leaders of the party from those holding appointive positions to work for the interest and unity of the APC.
Also the party in the communiqué thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the successes his administration recorded, especially in the areas of tackling corruption, economic and security challenges in the country.
