The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio has restated his withdrawal from the court-ordered election into the vacant seat of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.
The minister restated his position in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Anietie Ekong on Saturday.
According to Ekong, Akpabio who is currently on inspection visit to some states in the Niger Delta to assess the projects executed by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, restated his position in Uyo that he would not be a candidate in the election because of higher national responsibilities as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
Recall that the Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar, Cross River State had upturned the electoral victory and declaration of Dr. Chris Ekpenyong of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the Senator representing Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.
The court also ordered that fresh election be conducted in Essien Udim Local Government Area.
The election is scheduled to hold on January 25, 2020.
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Meanwhile, Sen. Akpabio has declared his full support for a former member of the House of Representatives, Ekperikpe Ekpo whom his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) had chosen to replace him, and urged his supporters and the people of Essien Udim to vote for him.
The APC had through the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole and the then Acting National Secretary, Victor T. Giadom in compliance with the requirement for 45 days notice to be given for the substitution of candidates, written to the Chairman of INEC, to submit the name of Hon Ekpo as a replacement for Sen. Akpabio in the election.
Ekong stated that Senator Akpabio was in agreement with his party’s position as expressed by the State Chairman, Ini Okopido in a recent press statement that: “As we prepare for the re-run elections in Essien Udim LGA, we are cautious and mindful of a re-run election superintended by Mike Igini. We have no faith in Igini’s impartiality as an unbiased and independent umpire. Igini is a compromised official and avowed enemy of APC. We are distraught and doubtful of a change of posture and therefore cautious to go into a fresh election while Igini remains the State REC.
Only a foolish survivor would ask the same hired assassin to extract the bullet from his body.”
The statement read further: “It has been brought to the attention of Senator Akpabio of a sinister plot by some paid political jobbers and miscreants who appear jittery about the upcoming elections in Essien Udim LGA to write spurious petitions to security agencies and make all manners of wild allegations against Senator Akpabio.
“Having withdrawn from the contest to face higher national responsibilities, we caution political jobbers to desist forthwith from their planned smear campaigns against Senator Akpabio and unnecessarily heating up the polity.
“The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Akpabio will have no choice than to invoke the full weight of the law against anyone who engages in any plot to smear his name through sponsored, fabricated petitions. A word is enough for the wise.”
