The State Working Committee (SWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State has disowned last Sunday Stakeholders meeting of the party in which the Minister of Niger Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio was appointed leader of the party in the State.
The SWC said “the stakeholders’ meeting convened by its member and former military governor of Ogun and Rivers states, Group Captain Sam Ewang (Rtd) and its entire resolution was null and void, as such actions were products of illegality.”
Recall that Sam Ewang had on Sunday, March 28, 2021 issued a statement calling for a stakeholders’ meeting for a crucial decision to be taken.
The Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Nkereuwem Enyongekere, had issued a press statement, saying that Ewang did not have the powers to announce and circulate notice and to convene stakeholders’ meetings of APC in the state.
“On that note, all APC Stakeholders, party leaders, party structures at all levels, members and the general public are hereby put on notice to discountenance the purported stakeholders meeting and act accordingly,” the party added.
The meeting went ahead anyway, where Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs accepted the call to lead the party in the state.
Prior to his acceptance to lead, Akpabio noted that he is one of the leaders of the APC in Akwa Ibom, adding that there are other leaders alongside himself including Chief Don Etiebet, Obong Umana Okon Umana, Obong Nsima Ekere, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe and Atuekong Inibehe Okorie, but that there was no clear head.
He applauded Captain Sam Ewang for convening the meeting, saying, “Your Excellency, you have started a revolution for the unity of the APC in Akwa Ibom”.
However, rising from its emergency meeting at the party secretariat, in Uyo, on Tuesday, the SWC reiterated its stance on the ‘illegal’ meeting, saying Ewang or any other person had no right in the party’s constitution to call a stakeholders meeting without the approval of the state Chairman.
Speaking at the meeting the State Chairman, Dr. Ita Udosen stated that such resolution cannot stand.
Udosen said, “After consultations with our legal department, we want to respectfully inform him that he did not have such powers and he doesn’t have such powers to do that.