Former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has called on All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders and stakeholders in Akwa Ibom State to close ranks for the success of the party in the 2023 elections.
He made the call while speaking at the party’s stakeholders meeting in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, on Friday.
Akpabio, in a statement by his media aide, Jackson Udom, said “there is actually no problem in the state chapter of the party. What you are seeing today is a storm in the tea cup.
“Today’s meeting”, the former governor of Akwa Ibom State said, “is enough to settle all grievances. There is no issue at all and there is nothing we cannot settle.”
According to the former Senate Minority Leader, “the problem we had in the party before now is a matter of not respecting those whom respect is due.
“Let us borrow a leaf from what happened in Calabar last week, where our presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, intervened.
“He settled the issue that surrounded the governorship candidacy of the party in the state. We can also, by ourselves, settle the same issue in Akwa Ibom State. Let us look at the larger picture.”
Speaking further, National Vice Chairman of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, said: “I will contribute my quota to the success of this presidential rally coming up next year.
“Let me also congratulate the Honourable Minister for the strides he has recorded so far in office.I was quite impressed when the Honourable Minister published the projects embarked upon by the ministry.
“It didn’t matter whether they were projects embarked upon by Pastor Usani or myself. I must commend him for that and will extend to him all the support he will need to succeed,” he stressed.
Speaking on behalf of the women, former member of the House of Representatives, Hon Iquo Inyang, said nobody can deny the massive achievement of Senator Akpabio in changing the face of the state and commended his leadership.
She appealed to the leaders of the party to put the house of the APC in the state in order for the victory of the party in the forthcoming elections.
Party leaders in attendance at the meeting included Chief Sunny Jackson, Chief Sam Ewang, Mr Akan Udofia and Senator Effiong Nelson, among several others.