The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has said no force would stop the All Progressives Party, APC, from taking over Akwa Ibom state governorship from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2027.
Akpabio made the boast, weekend, at his country home in Ukana Ikot Ntuen, Essien Udim Local Government Area.
The occasion was the defection of Akwa Ibom 2023 governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party, YPP, Senator Bassey Akpan, who came second in the 2023 polls, defected with his supporters to the APC.
Sen Akpan, joined by the state YPP Chairman, Apostle Nyenime Andy, and other stalwarts told Akpabio they resolved to retrace their steps. They begged to be forgiven for their political miscalculation.
Akparawa said: “We came in total loyalty to you as the leader, who had turned boys into men, to work with you and President Bola Tinubu. This is to effectively implement the laudable policies and programmes of the Federal Government.”
Akparawa Inyang was Chief of Staff to immediate past Governor Udom Emmanuel and Chairman, YPP Eket Zone.
Akwa Ibom YPP Chairman, Apostle Andy, hoped with the mass defection that APC’s strength in the state and subsequent impacts would be felt in next month’s rerun.
He enjoined APC leaders and stakeholders to support the YPP candidates to victory.
The polls is pitching YPP candidates for Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency and Ibiono Ibom State Constituency against PDP candidates.
Akpan, former Commissioner for Finance under Akpabio urged the Senate President to forgive the wrong course he took. He explained that it was also for the common good as he was able to attract many supporters who will now join in galvanizing the APC cause in earnest for 2027.
He assured that YPP now with two seats in both the state House of Assembly and the House of Representatives, respectively, was coming into alliance from a position of strength to galvanize the APC into dislodging incumbent Governor Umo Eno and PDP come 2027.
The state APC Chairman, Obong Stephen Ntukekpo, promised to reintegrate the defectors fully into the fold.
He disclosed that he, before the defection, had intimated the APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, who is ready to receive them.
Senate President Akpabio made the homecoming in the company of other National Assembly colleagues. He noted that with the migration of the YPP in Akwa Ibom state into APC, the federal ruling party would swallow the opposition parties in the South.
Akpabio questioned why the PDP claimed victory in the last elections in the state with thousands of YPP members. He assured that the mathematical error would be corrected in 2027 when the combined forces of the ruling party at the centre, YPP and others in the state would be unleashed for the polls.
He assured that equal rights and privileges accrued to original members since APC took over at the centre in 2015, would be accorded to new entrants.
Also, he charged party Chairman, Ntukekpo, to be guided.
