The presidential ambition of Senator Godswill Akpabio, on Wednesday, received a major boost, with his formal endorsement by the national leadership of the Presidential Support Committee (PSC).
Speaking during a press conference in Abuja, the committee’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr Abubakar Kailani, said it zeroed in on Akpabio as its sole candidate in the presidential contest, because of his achievements in public offices as a governor, senator and, until recently, a minister.
“We decided to endorse Akpabio as our sole candidate for so many reasons. Akpabio is our national coordinator and it is natural we support any of our members who are aspiring for any office in the land.
“He is highly detribalised. He is not a religious bigot. As a governor, he sponsored over 5,000 muslims to Mecca, built mosques and schools in the North. How many of his co-aspirants did that when they had the opportunity?,” he asked.
Kailani further said: “Akpabio is not like the others who are parading themselves today as presidential aspirants. Our national voordinator is the best among all of them because of his sterling qualities and achievements in offices.
“We have discovered one prominent personality amongst us, who has pioneered the leadership of the organisation with such traits that would carry our country to the promised land, if given the opportunity to be elected as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“He is no other person than His Excellency, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the immediate past Minister of Niger Delta Affairs. He has served meritoriously as commissioner, governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator of the Federal Republic and most recently, as member of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).”
Speaking further, the PSC scribe said: “Senator Akpabio has exemplary and unquestionable integrity when he served in all the aforementioned positions.
“It is on record that he used such positions to positively affect the lives of Nigerians and other nationals and his development footmarks are still available, wherever he has worked as testimony for his hard work, integrity and capacity.”
The PSC therefore called on its members and delegates to “queue behind Senator Akpabio in the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to clinch the party’s ticket.
“[This is] because he will receive over whelming support from Nigerians in the 2023 presidential election, if given the ticket of the APC. Let us also support other members of the organisation who are contesting for any office in the land.”
