How Niger Delta APC leaders plotted against Akpabio’s re-election to Senate

Leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in some of the Niger Delta states have been revealed to have plotted against the re-election of the current Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, back to the National Assembly in the 2019 general elections for peculiar political calculations. A source from the ruling APC revealed to National Daily that the main political calculation some of the party leaders in the zone considered in plotting to ensure that Akpabio was not re-elected back to the National Assembly after his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was the position of the Deputy President of the Senate that was zoned to the South-South by the APC before the 2019 general elections.

The party source disclosed that the APC caucus in the Senate of the National Assembly has resolved to zone the Deputy President of the Senate to the south-south after the 2019 elections. This was said to be the bargaining chip for luring Akpabio out of the PDP to the APC. While in the PDP, Akpabio was the Senate Minority Leader in the National Assembly at the time of the defection negotiation and horse trading.

Most of the APC leaders in the Niger Delta, according to our source, were not comfortable with the former Akwa Ibom State governor becoming the Deputy President of the Senate immediately after defecting from the PDP. They were said to be concerned about Akpabio’s influence, political sagacity, and clout. “The APC leaders also feared Akpabio could outshine the President of the Senate and become more powerful than anyone could imagine,” our source declared.

The party source further revealed that the plot of the APC leaders in the zone led to the decision not to allow the use of the federal might during the 2019 elections in Akwa Ibom State. The party source was of the view that the former Deputy Governor, Chris Ekpeyong, was not the calibre of politician that would defeat former governor Akpabio in an election.

However, the senatorial election was said to have been conducted with transparency and fairness; though, Akpabio had challenged the election result in a certain local government which was annulled by the tribunal, including the appeal court, and by-election conducted; yet he lost again.

The party source also revealed that a particular APC leader and his associates in the Niger Delta had already compiled a list of members of the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), enlisting their loyalists and cronies, which they influenced President Muhammadu Buhari to approve for appointment into the commission.

In a turning vicissitude, President Buhari compensated Akpabio’s defeat in the senatorial election with ministerial appointment, fortunately, into the Niger Delta Ministry.

“As minister, Akpabio fought back, cancelled the existing structure in the NDDC, dislodged the cronies of the APC leaders in the Niger Delta heading the commission, and replaced them with his loyalists,” the party source said. According to the APC source, “this is a major source of the crisis in the NDDC since Akpabio became minister.”

The power tussle was said to have been driven inwards into the internal crisis in APC over the party leader in Akwa Ibom State. APC stakeholders in Akwa Ibom State, some of whom have access to the federal might as the minister, were also said to be reinforced by other party leaders from the region to ensure Akpabio does not emerge the APC leader in Akwa Ibom State.

It will be recalled that after Akpabio defected to APC, the current Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo SAN, convened a meeting involving Akpabio and the Minister of Transport, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, to reconcile the two party leaders from the South-South. That meeting was successful, culminating in cordial relations between the two leaders, both of whom also defected from the PDP at different times.

Advertisement

Also, the direct power tussle between Akpabio and another APC leader in Akwa Ibom, John James Akpanudoedehe, contributes to a stronger political battle with the minister in the state party. Other APC stakeholders, also offered federal appointment by President Buhari, also aligned with Akpanudoedehe against Akpabio. This level of political conflagration resulted in Akpabio being pushed to the edge of the party during the membership registration and revalidation exercise of the party, including the ward congress of the party in Akwa Ibom State.

Meanwhile, negotiations and horse trading has commenced for the presidential ticket of the ruling APC for the 2023 general elections. The power game is anticipated to accelerate as at least two of the party leaders in the zone have been identified to be aspiring for the race. National Daily is tracking the events and would present updates in subsequent reports.

t