The former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Godswill Akpabio, has called on the retired deputy inspector general of police, Mr. Udom Ekpoudom to join hands with him to build the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state as well as develop Ikot Ekpene senatorial district.
He made the call at the weekend in his reaction to the judgement of the Supreme Court which settled the case of APC Akwa Ibom northwest senatorial district (Ikot Ekpene) ticket in his (Akpabio’s) favour.
Recall that the court had on Friday, January 19, affirmed Akpabio as the bona fide candidate of the APC for the senatorial zone in the February 25 election.
The APC had challenged the decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which sacked Akpabio as its candidate.
In a unanimous judgment read by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, the court upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja which in September last year gave victory to Akpabio.
The court set aside the judgement of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal delivered on November 14 which had sacked Akpabio as candidate of the party in the election
According to the apex court, the lower court erred when it ordered Akpabio’s substitution with Ekpoudom as APC’s flag bearer for the senatorial zone.
“The judgement of the Court (of Appeal) is hereby set aside,” Saulawa said.
Speaking on the premises of the apex court after the judgement was given, Akpabio said Ekpoudom would still remain his kinsman having been his (Ekpoudom’s) benefactor from the time he served in the police force.
“We are not fighting. I have helped Ekpoudom since the time he was in the police force up to the time of retirement as deputy inspector general of police. I even tarred the road to the village when I served as the governor of the state. They call it Etim Ekpo.” he stated.
In another interview on Saturday, Akpabio who also served as the minister of Niger Delta Affair pledged to do more for his people.
“To God be the glory great things he hath done. So loved He the world that He gave us His Son, who yielded His life an atonement for sin and opened the life gate that all may go in. Praise the Lord, Praise Lord, let the earth hear His voice, Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord let the people rejoice. Oh come to the Father through Jesus the Son and give Him the glory great things He hath done.
“On Friday, 20th January 2023, the Supreme Court of Nigeria, formally declared me the authentic and duly elected candidate of our great party; the All Progressives Congress ( APC) for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.
“I give all glory to God Almighty who made this victory possible. I thank my Lord Justices of the Supreme Court for their diligence and faultless verdict.
“I thank my family, friends, supporters and party members for their unsolicited support.
“I will continue to do my best for our people. It is time for campaign and that is what we would be doing as from today for the victory of our party next month.”
Meanwhile, a stalwart of the APC and former minister of petroleum Mr. Don Etiebet, has said that the judgement of the court, which affirmed Akpabio as the party’s candidate for Akwa Ibom northwest senatorial district would not change their earlier resolve to vote for an Abak-5 candidate in the election.
He said the people from the zone would not elect Akpabio for it is the turn of Abak-5 zone to produce a senator.
“We in the district do not accept the verdict because of the inherent inconsistencies in the run-up to the primaries in our layman’s view but we fully respect the judgement having come from a court and the Supreme Court for that matter.
“…We from the senatorial district have since resolved that it is the turn of Abak-5 zone of the district and in particular, the Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika federal constituency to produce the senator this time around since all the other three federal constituencies in the senatorial district have produced senators several times.
“The federal constituency of Ikot Ekpene where Senator Godswill Akpabio comes from has produced five senators since 1960 or three senators since 1999 including Godswill Akpabio himself, whereas the Abak federal constituency has produced none since 1960.
“That is why we in the district unanimously nominated deputy inspector-general of police, Udom Ekpoudom (retd) from Etim Ekpo local government area of Abak federal constituency to contest under our great APC banner,” he said.
