APC Stakeholders In Akwa Ibom Reject Akpabio As Party Leader

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

A group within the party had last month endorsed the Minister as APC Leader in the state. The group was led by the former military administrator of Rivers and Ogun State, Group Captain Sam Ewang (retd).

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

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

Others at the meeting 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.

READ ALSO: APC Ward Leaders In Akwa Ibom Pass Vote Of Confidence On Buhari, Akpabio

Akpabio sent apologies for his absent at the meeting.

The stakeholders in a communiqué at the end of the meeting 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 that there were factions in the party and urged all leaders holding appointive positions to work for the interest and unity of the party.