A’Ibom APC stakeholder reject Akpabio as leader

By Bassey Anthony, Uyo

Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in  have again rejected Niger Delta Affairs Minister, Senator Godswill Akpabio as party leader in the state.

A group within the party led by a former military administrator of Rivers and Ogun states, Group Captain Sam Ewang (retd), had last month endorsed Akpabio as APC leader in the state.

But in an enlarged second stakeholders meeting of the party on Sunday at SheerGrace Arena, the party kicked against the unilateral decision of the Ewang group to appoint Akpabio as the party’s leader.

The meeting was attended by National Caretaker Secretary of the APC, Senator John Akpanuodehe and Managing Director of the Oli and Gas Free Trade Zone Authority and Obong Umana Okon Umana.

Others were Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs Senator Ita Enang; Sole administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Mr. Efiong Akwa and Group Captain Sam Ewang(retd) among others.

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Akpabio was absent at the meeting but sent his apologies.

In a communiqué at end of the meeting, the stakeholder said: ” That the stakeholders endorse the decision of the State Executive Committee (SEC) to declare as a nullity the unilateral proclamation and announcement of Sen. Godswill Akpabio as the State Party Leader of APC in gross violation of the Party’s Constitution in the unauthorised and illegal Stakeholders meeting of Sunday, March 28, 2021.

”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”.

They dismissed the insinuation there were factions in the party and urged all leaders from the holding appointive positions to work for the interest and unity of the APC.