PDP, Akpabio’s Media Aide in War of Words over His Romance with Atiku

Okon Bassey in Uyo

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State and the media aide to former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, have engaged in war of words over the latest alleged romance between Akpabio and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar following the latter’s emergence as the candidate of the PDP.

Akpabio allegedly called to congratulate Atiku on phone immediately he was elected as the PDP presidential candidate for the 2019 general election, but the calls were ignored.

Akpabio was also alleged to have reached out to be the running mate to Atiku.

But one of the media aides to Akpabio, Mr. Anietie Ekong, said the supposed phone call from the senator to the PDP presidential candidate, which was reportedly rejected was cooked up as Akpabio was deeply involved in the APC national convention.

He admitted that Akpabio’s support for Atiku was in the past when the senator was a member of the PDP.

“The truth is Akpabio’s politics is not driven by the position he is seeking, so he is not interested in being the running mate to anybody in a party he had left,” Ekong said.

Reacting, the PDP state Chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo, warned media handlers of the senator to exercise caution and restrain in the conduct of their duties.

Ekpo, who gave the warning through the Publicity Secretary of the state PDP, Ini Emembong, noted that “it has become their modus operandi to stir up crises for their principal and later sit around to cry when the reaction occurs.

“In this particular case, the stories about Akpabio and Atiku first emanated from the senator’s media aides or better put media hirelings, who in their hero worship, feel that their boss, the senator is a god and therefore omnipotent, omniscient and absolutely infallible.

“They published the picture of Atiku at the residence of the former Senate Minority Leader and commended the Akpabio’s foresight.

“Before long, all those sympathetic to the downward spiral that our former boss has accidentally engaged, populated the internet space with the photograph and jaundiced analogy which now fuelled speculations of the return of the former governor to PDP.

“With this trend of events, how can the media office of Akpabio now blame the government of Akwa Ibom State and the PDP? This blame game, which before now, was alien to the senator and his media strategists, has become commonplace with them-signs of their full adaptation to APC’s strategy.

“Additionally, why should people not believe that the former governor can do a summersault and spot another person other than the presidential candidate of his party? Was he not the same person who said despite his support for President Goodluck Jonathan that his heart was with Buhari?

“So if rational people juxtapose his conduct then and now, and conclude that he is capable of anything, how is PDP to blame?”

Ekpo argued that Akpabio should not claimed to have been the oxygen or life-wire of PDP in the state as he was not a foundation member of the party, and the party had been winning elections before he was given the privilege of being the governorship candidate of the party in 2007.

“We do not blame the senator’s media handlers for deifying him, it earns them a pay and a livelihood and we must show understanding.