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AKPABIO: SAD END TO AN ERA

By Udeme INYANG

The sign was truly visible three weeks ago. The signal of a seemingly impossible Godswill Akpabio defection to the All Progressive Congress (APC) illuminated slightly at the Ikot Ekpene Stadium on the 15th of July when Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) members in the North West Senatorial District of Akwa Ibom State, in a routine political outing convened to pass a vote of confidence on Governor Udom Emmanuel and their Senator, Akpabio.

As he(Akpabio) got to the podium to speak at the event which also provided opportunity for the party to endorse the second term bids of the governor and Senate Minority Leader, wild cheers went up the air from his kinsmen who hold him in high esteem.

However, Akpabio had a shocker for everyone. Grabbing the microphone, the effusive ex-governor urged his constituents not to be worried about 2019 elections, expressing confidence that any party platform on which he will contest for second term ticket for Ikot Ekpene senatorial district will return him to the Red Chambers. He maintained that he had to play down on the issue of party because he believed that any party platform he would contest election on would guarantee him victory.

“Don’t be worried about election. Election is all about voting. Today you notice that I did not shout too much about party because you presented Godswill Akpabio as an unopposed candidate. And this unopposed candidate involves all the political parties.

“Whether you call it CUPP (Coalition of United Political Parties) or whether it is PDP, no matter the political party, we are saying let God’s will be done again. For diverse tendency, for those who want to divide us, let God Almighty not allow them,” he gushed.

For the crowd cheering him non-stop, the message didn’t seem to sink-in. They could be forgiven for not paying great attention to the speech which laid no emphasis on supporting the party, Udom and other PDP candidates in 2019.

For the few who strained their ears to listen carefully, Akpabio had said a lot, enough to cause panic and uncertainty concerning his political future. His speech which summarily announced his defection from PDP, was no idle talk. When he spoke, Akpabio strangely dodged canvassing for support for Governor Udom Emmanuel or PDP. And bizarrely, the people didn’t take notice.

Two weeks after the Ikot Ekpene rally, the Senate Minority Leader is on the verge of leaving PDP for APC despite the fact that Nigerians are getting increasingly frustrated by the ineptitude of the ruling party.

Reports have it that Akpabio will not be defecting out of his own desire. It is alleged that he has been under pressure for months from Aso Rock using the EFCC to send threatening messages to him.

Akpabio is said to be very scared of spending a night in detention so he’s buckling under pressure and views the defection as a way to escape the hangmen in EFCC.

The irony of the EFCC ordeal is that the Udom led State Government has been very protective of Akpabio, refusing to tender financial statements of the Akpabio days to the anti-graft agency since 2015, dragging the EFCC to court in the process.

Secondly, Akpabio is said to be increasingly frustrated that his successor, Governor Udom Emmanuel is towing the path of responsible leadership. The ex-banker’s style of leadership differs greatly from the impulse-driven approach of Akpabio.

Some of the uncompleted signature projects of the Senate Minority have not been deemed fit for completion by the cautious Udom Emmanuel who views them as irrelevant. This may be upsetting to Akpabio who is said to be getting increasingly embarrassed that projects like the Tropicana and Four Points Hotel have not made Udom’s priority list even with Federal allocation getting better with increased oil revenue.

Despite the fact that Udom has managed to accommodate Akpabio’s large contingent of loyalists in the State EXCO and as aides, the ex-governor’s insatiable desire to still dictate proceedings may have led to minor clashes of interest which the governor has done well to manage professionally.

Akpabio’s wish to defect may be from a combination of these factors. To many political pundits, his defection plan is poorly thought-off and a weird approach to political consolidation.

To many, he’s digging his political grave. It will be virtually impossible to become a factor in APC like he was in PDP. The hawks in APC won’t allow him. How will Rotimi Amaechi surrender his status as South South leader to Akpabio? How will Nsima Ekere, John Udoedehe and Umana Umana consider having him on the same table considering what he singlehandedly put them through during his eight years as governor?

The APC led by Adams Oshiomhole will only attempt to use Akpabio to neutralize the influence of Bukola Saraki and get back at the Kwara State politician for demystifying Aso Rock for three and a half years. This is a scenario Akpabio played against Amaechi during the Nigeria Governors Forum battle. We all know Goodluck Jonathan and Akpabio did not totally succeed in curtailing the Amaechi influence even when a PDP Governors Forum was created rather hysterically.

A once promising political career of the Uncommon Transformer is about to be consumed by a strange decision that nobody foresaw. A fall-out between predecessor and successor was envisaged at some point, but nobody guessed that Akpabio will consider seeking solace in a party many are leaving in droves. If the APC was doing well and not a disappointment as currently is, the story might have been different. His reason of freedom of association will have been easily understood.

History will never be fair to Akpabio if he makes the swap on Wednesday. He will forever be remembered as the General who led his people to battle-field only to abandon them when the going got tough.

Akpabio did everything to emancipate his people from mental slavery…only to take a plunge himself there afterwards. What an end to an era!

Inyang, Editor-in-Chief of Newslink, writes from Uyo, the state capital.

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