Akpabio’s defection: Akwa Ibom lawmakers pledge support to Gov Emmanuel

By Lateef Ibrahim

Intrigues thicken over the impending defection to the All Progressive Congress (APC) of immediate-past governor and current Senate Minority leader, Godswill Akpabio.
The support also negates rumours making the rounds that the state lawmakers were planning to defect to the APC.
The Speaker of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Mr Onofiok Luke, who led other members on a solidarity visit to Governor Emmanuel at the Government House, Uyo, said they were there to show their support and solidarity based on the superlative performance of his administration.
He said, “We came here today, to show our support and solidarity to His Excellency the governor and to show that that support is based on the superlative performance that he has been able to put on the ground for the Akwa Ibom people.”
Luke added, “We came with the understanding that we were elected by Akwa Ibom people on the platform of the PDP and then the leader of the party, the governor of the state has done well for the people of the state.”
Going forward, Luke noted that the assembly had vowed to remain united under the “umbrella” in spite of the planned defection of the Senator Godswill Akpabio to the APC.
He said, “ Yes, we agree as a House of Assembly that this is a turbulent time but just like if you are in a flight and there is a turbulence mid-air, you don’t jump out of the flight, rather you pray for normalcy and peace to return.
“As a state, we understand turbulent times politically for us but we know we stand sure on the promises of God, sure on the strength of God and sure on the leadership responsibility that has been bestowed on Governor Emmanuel.
“We have come here to show our 100 per cent support to him so that at a time like this, he is not distracted from delivering democratic dividends to Akwa Ibom people.”
He assured the governor that the Assembly had adopted him as the governorship candidate of the PDP in next year’s election and they would work to ensure his victory and return to the Government House in 2019.