A progressive forum of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, known as APC Advocates Forum has declared that former governor of Akwa Ibom and Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio, as the ‘natural leader’ of the party in the state.
The forum, in a statement on Monday in Abuja by its national coordinator, Johnson Essien, however, called on APC’s National Caretaker Committee led by the Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni, to call those sponsoring mischief against the minister to order.
The group added that “the political sagacity of the former two-term governor cannot be compared to any other person in the state”.
Mr Essien, therefore, threatened to expose those behind the crisis rocking the Akwa Ibom state chapter of the party.
The group described as ‘unwise decision’ for some chieftains of the party to contest the natural leadership God has bestowed on the minister.
“The recent development in Akwa Ibom APC by a segment of the party denying Chief Godswill Akpabio as the leader in the state is unwise despite the natural role nature has bestowed on him as a former governor and a serving cabinet member from the state.
“We, therefore call on Governor Mai Mala Buni-led APC National Caretaker Committee to look inward and call to order the enemy within the system causing bad blood in Akwa Ibom APC,” the forum said.
They described the “APC as a body without engine in Akwa Ibom state until Godswill Akpabio joined the fold in 2018.
Mr Essien said: “During his eight years as Governor of Akwa Ibom, the Hon. Minister changed the face of the State and touched lives like never before – earning himself the sobriquet Uncommon Transformer.
“On assuming office as Minister, he has been a stickler for performance, committing himself to ensuring the speedy development of the Niger Delta region in tandem with his Ministry’s mandate.”
The statement added that for any leader of the party or aspirant in the state to go far politically in 2023, such a person needs Minister Akpabio.
“We are using this medium to warn the crisis merchants to desist because the Niger Delta Affairs minister, Senator Godswill Akpabio is a force that will decide the fate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023,” the forum concluded.
