Worried by pockets of opposition to Senator Godswill Akpabio’s bid for the Presidency of the 10th Nigerian Senate, a coalition of concerned groups drawn across the Niger Delta States have warned those trying to put a wedge on the ambition to steer clear, arguing that South – South is more deserving of the position.
Addressing a press conference in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital yesterday, leaders of the Niger Delta Conscience Coalition (NDCC) led by the national president, Comrade Aniefiok Fabian, and secretary, Mr. John Adangu Dagogo, said the former Senate Minority Whip, is best suited for the job, given his wealth of experience as a former Governor, Senator and Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Fabian, who noted the groundswell of supports that called for Akpabio to enlist in the race and the recent demonstration by Nigerians during the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s visit to France, calling for the zoning of the position to South-South, urged desperate politicians not to continue to inflame the polity over the matter.
He said, “Having campaigned through the length and breadth of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District and come out victorious in one of the hardest fought senatorial contests in the recent political history of Akwa Ibom State barely two months back in a scenario which enabled the APC for the first time to gamer more than the required 25% national votes spread from Akwa Ibom State.
“Therefore, this coalition is not in any way bemused by the recent activities of some paid agents of destabilization across the country in general and their political godfathers both in the South-South geopolitical region and Akwa Ibom State in particular, to suggest that, the Distinguished Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, could be aiming for anything less than the Senate Presidency of this country, talk much of their much touted Ministerial appointment, a position he held some years back.
“As permissible as it is for any person or group in their chicken heartedness to exhibit fear and trepidation in a contest such as parading a giant of the pedigree of a one-time governor, ex-Senator and former minister in the person of the Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, it is however something else altogether to seek in anyone’s state of confusion to mislead, deceive and hoodwink his followers, admirers and indeed the nation at large as to the direction or choice of a principal political player at this time in the country’s political trajectory.”
