PDP may lose governorship election in A’Ibom – Party chief

Gov. Godswill Akpabio

by Etim Ekpimah, Uyo

A stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Enefiok Ekefre, has said the party may lose the state to other political parties if the family of the state governor, Mr. Godwill Akpabio, is allowed to dominate the affairs of the party.

He condemned the dominance of Akpabio’s family in the party, which he claimed, had manifested in the relocation of its state secretariat from Ikot Ekpene Road to Edet Akpan Avenue.

The property in contention, he alleged, was not only small, but a personal property of Ibanga Akpabio, a brother to the governor.

Ekefre in an interview with newsmen in Uyo on Thursday, said the development might lead to the party losing its members, which might affect its ability to produce the governor in 2015.

He said, “By relocating the PDP secretariat from Ikot Ekpene Road, which is more spacious to Ibanga Akpabio’s property, the party has shown that its interest is bent towards Akpabio’s family.

“The new location is prone to gridlock, owing to the adjoining Ossong Ama Housing Estate and the neighbouring residential quarters. The road is one of the busiest in the state as it serves as the gateway to the only five star hotel in Nwaniba and the airport.

“Ibanga and his brother, Godswill Akpabio, are telling us that PDP is their personal property. If care is not taken, the party is going to lose the governorship as well as the presidential election to other parties in the state.”

Culled from The Punch newspaper