Perish thought of taking Akwa Ibom State in 2027, PDP tells Akpabio

…Tasks Senate President to come clean on corruption allegations

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has told the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio to perish the thought of taking over control of Akwa Ibom State in 2027, pointing out that his scheme to use false claims and inciting comments to destabilize the State has already failed.
The party said this in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba in Abuja.
The leading opposition party counseled the Senate President to come to terms with the fact that the people of Akwa Ibom State are firmly rooted in the PDP as a peaceful and united people blessed by God especially under the immediate past and current administration.
According to the PDP, “They (the people of Akwa Ibom State) cannot be swayed by any agent of disunity, incitement, hatred and retrogression whose intention is to use propaganda and hate speeches to derail and appropriate the State for selfish interest.
“The boast by Senator Akpabio to take over Akwa Ibom State in 2027 is not only pathetically empty but further exposes his level of arrogance and disdain for the sensibility, intelligence, democratic right and sovereignty of the people of Akwa Ibom State.
“Our Party advises Senator Akpabio to leave Akwa Ibom State alone and focus on the challenges of his office as Senate President, which is alleged to be engaged in process manipulation and sharp practices including alleged budget padding and diversion of public funds.
“Senator Akpabio should address the allegations in the public domain that a prominent official of the National Assembly in connivance with another top official in the Presidency have been using Ministers and other government functionaries to siphon billions of Naira including funds meant for palliatives for poor Nigerians under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
“Nigerians can recall that there are pending investigations before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegation of looting of N108.1 billion belonging to Akwa Ibom State under Senator Akpabio’s watch as Governor as well as alleged N86 billion contract scam in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) during his tenure as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
“These are funds belonging to and meant for the welfare of the people of Akwa Ibom State and the Niger Delta Region and our Party challenges the Senate President to immediately come clean and clear the air on these allegations, especially given the sanctity of the office which he now occupies.
“Senator Akpabio should note that the office of the Senate President does not confer any form of immunity on him from investigation and/or prosecution. In any event, he must know that time does not run against the State in criminal matters.
Senator Akpabio should as a matter of public duty concentrate on attending to the plethora of allegations of corruption around him to justify the respect and integrity expected of the occupier of the office of the Senate President”, it said.
The party however urged the people of Akwa Ibom State to disregard Senator Akpabio’s antics and remain united in their determination to continue to build their State under the banner of the PDP.