August 02, (THEWILL) – The Chief Press Secretary to the immediate past Minister, Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Mr Jackson Udom, has stated that DIG Udom Ekpoudom (rtd) was never the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, as such, there was the need for him to step down for Senator Akpabio.
THEWILL recalls that the Retired DIG of Police, had in an interview, which was widely publicised on both print and Social media, allegedly claimed that he had won the Senatorial ticket of the APC for the Akwa Ibom Senatorial District.
He further speculated that the former Minister had offered him a ministerial position in exchange for the Senatorial contest.
The statement, which was signed by the CPS and made available to THEWILL correspondent in Uyo states: “Ordinarily, we wouldn’t have dignified this unfounded claims with any response, but for the interest and information of the unsuspecting members of public, who could be taken in by this bare-faced lie, we have to state at follows:
“That The Senatorial Primary he claimed produced him as the candidate, is NOT recognised by the National Working Committee (NWC), which is the legally recognised body to organise such an event.
“It is a known fact that Senatorial primaries of the party took place across the country on the 28th of May and not on the 27th of May, where he purportedly claimed he “emerged” the “candidate.”
“The only recognised primary election for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, was the one ordered and supervised by the NWC of the party on the 28th of May.
“That It was Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo, who was declared winner of the primary, but because of security infractions which characterised the exercise, it was cancelled and a re-conduct of the exercise on the 9th of June was ordered and conducted, where Senator Godswill Akpabio emerged the winner.
“There was no time and in fact, there wasn’t any need for anybody, not to talk of Senator Akpabio, to have asked Udom Ekpoudom to step down, when it is a known fact that he wasn’t and was never the candidate of the party at any point in time.”
It, however, described the action of the elder statesman as being borne out of frustration and a quest for recognition.
“We understand the frustration the former Police Chief is currently going through with his phantom senatorial candidacy. The frustration has made him embark on a pity-party trip for cheap recognition and unmerited sympathy.
“We will advise retired DIG Udom Ekpoudom, to focus his energy on blaming those who took him on a political wild goose chase, abandoning him to sink deep into political irrelevance, while they seek political succour for negotiation on other platforms.
