Akpabio’s Defecrion, Bad Omen for APC, Says Former Akwa Ibom Deputy Gov

Tobi Soniyi
Senator Godswill Akpabio’s deputy while he was Akwa Ibom State governor,  Mr. Patrick Ekpotu has said the defection of his former boss from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is a bad omen for the ruling party.

Ekpotu, who also served alongside Akpabio as commissioners under former governor Victor Attah’s administration, said the Senator’s defection signals destruction for the ruling party.
He added that the defection showed that the senator was incapable of operating as an opposition outside the state power apparatus.

In a strong worded statement issued yesterday, the former deputy governor said Akpabio’s move to APC was long awaited, stressing that all odds are now against the party and the senator.

 “His recourse is often to rely heavily on apparatus of state security to cow people into submission and dominion. His decision to embrace the APC now, among others, is because APC is today the custodian of that State apparatus. And I think he is highly mistaken for misapprehending that President Buhari is cut out in the weaknesses of former President that was recklessly used to his political peril and became the first to dump him.

“Even if Buhari avails him the security apparatus, remember that Akpabio is not used to elections which is the norm today but return of entire number of votes in INEC register to himself. But With INEC’s card reader system today, hardly would we have such number of votes in consideration, let alone to be returned. So, all odds are against him and the APC,” Ekpotu explained.