Former Senate Minority leader, Godswill Obot Akpabio has denied
allegations that he called the All Progressives Congress (APC) evil and
was considering returning to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a press release on Thursday night, signed by his Special Assistant
on media, Anietie Ekong, Senator Akpabio disclosed that he had no
regret whatsoever for the decision he took as a nationalist to join the
APC.
He maintained that he was rigged out of the race for re-election as Senator but will reclaim his mandate at the tribunal.
The statement reads: “The attention of the Senator representing Akwa
Ibom North West Senatorial District, His Excellency, Senator Godswill
Akpabio, CON has been drawn to a malevolent quote dripping with malice
and falsehood attributed to him in the social media thus: ‘I was a
Commissioner for eight years and Governor for eight years under PDP, but
now I have only spent three months and I am finished politically, what
type of evil party is this?’
“We wish to state without fear of contradiction that this is the
concoction by whoever authored it. The assertion is factually
inaccurate.
“Chief Godswill Akpabio never served as a Commissioner for eight
years so he could never have so claimed nor could he have described his
party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) as ‘evil party.’
“Distinguished Senator Akpabio has no regret whatsoever for the
decision he took as a nationalist to join the All Progressives Congress
and lend his support to President Muhammadu Buhari, whom he sees as an
upright leader with the interest of the generality of the Nigerian
people, especially the masses at heart.
“Given similar circumstances and situations, Senator Akpabio would
still take the same decision over and over again. He has no apology for
his resolve.
“As the National Coordinator of the Presidential Support Committee
and the South-South Director of the Presidential Campaign Council during
the last general elections, Senator Akpabio is proud to have worked
with other Progressives for the re-election of President Buhari. He
remains a committed member of the APC and will join hands and work with
the President in any way to move the country forward.
“There is no gainsaying that Senator Akpabio was rigged out of the
race for re-election as Senator to represent the good people of Akwa
Ibom North West Senatorial District. He’s presently at the Election
Petition Tribunal to reclaim his stolen mandate and has the support of
his party, the APC. He has implicit confidence in the judiciary to
restore his mandate.
“The quote attributed to him is the handiwork of political jobbers
and mischief–makers, who in recent times have elevated political
propaganda to high art.
“The general public should discountenance these shenanigans trying,
albeit unsuccessfully, to malign the integrity of Senator Akpabio.”
