Ward congress:  Akpanudoedehe sends Akpabio to political wilderness in Akwa Ibom APC

The political conflagration in Akwa Ibom State All Progressives Congress (APC) was taken to higher pedestal during the Saturday, July 31 APC ward congress in the state, as in other states across the country. The battle in the ward congress was fought by the political leaders with all the power structures at their behest. The Abuja forces used the federal might against the home political leaders, who, however, have strong grassroots support.

The National Secretary of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator James John Akpanudoedehe, deployed his political arsenal from the interim national committee which as a member, against the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, who was fighting for the APC leader in the state. Akpanudoedehe, who is perceived to be aspiring for the APC governorship ticket in 2023, mobilized his forces to outweigh Akpabio, who is also perceived to be interested in the 2023 presidential race on the APC ticket.

The victory of the Akpanudoedehe group, relegated the supporters of Akpabio to the political enterprise of protests, complaints, and accusations.

The National Secretary of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee was, therefore, accused of manipulating the APC ward congress in Akwa Ibom State, which the Minister’s supporters attributed to the colossal defeat of their principal at the poll units.

The Minister supporters took their protest to the APC State Secretariat at Ikot Ekpene Road, Uyo.
The protesters set bonfire in front of the State Secretariat, obstructing traffic, degenerating to heavy gridlock on major roads to and fro the city.

The protesters rejected the list of delegates slated to vote at the ward congress across the state.

The minister’s supporters, accordingly, displayed placards with inscriptions: “Akpanudoedehe cannot decide for us in Akwa Ibom;”

“The list cannot stand;” “We reject this shambolic manipulation by one man”;

“This congress cannot hold” and “Enough of one-man dictatorship in Akwa Ibom APC.”

They subsequently, demanded the cancellation of the ward congress, reiterating that Akpanudoedehe “fraudulently manipulated the lists to include only his loyalists as candidates for the congresses”.

Earlier on Friday, a group, the APC Elders Forum led by a Board of Trustees (BoT) member, Group Captain Sam Ewang (rtd), at a meeting in Uyo, passed a vote of no confidence resolution on the Akwa Ibom State Caretaker Chairman, Dr. Ita Udosen. They protested that Udosen is playing the card of Akpanudoedehe, manipulating the electoral process and doctoring the candidates’ list in favour of Akpanudoedehe.

The ward congress seemingly turned the pendulum of the political configuration of Akwa Ibom State. The Minister who has been battling to establish himself as the political godfather of the state has been left a complainer and protester in the state political.

Some stakeholders in Akwa Ibom polity were of the view that former governor is gradually being shifted away from the mainstream of the state politics and tactically relegated to the political wilderness.

Akpabio was defeated massively in the 2019 senatorial election in the state by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chris Ekpeyong.