2023: Akpanudoedehe denies saying he is APC Akwa Ibom governorship candidate

Sen. James Akpanudoedehe, Secretary All Progressives Congress Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) has denied media reports credited to him, saying he was the APC 2023 governorship candidate for Akwa Ibom.

He debunked the report on Wednesday in Abuja in a statement, adding that building a strong APC in Akwa Ibom was paramount to him and should be the concern of all loyal party members.

Akpanudoedehe described the media report as a misrepresentation of facts, stressing that the party had to be rooted in the state for anybody to use it as veritable platform to pursue his or her political ambitions.

“What we are asking from all APC stakeholders in Akwa Ibom is that we all need to come together to build APC in our state and in the entire South South geopolitical zone.

“It is only when we are firmly rooted on ground that the platform becomes viable for individual aspirations, let’s build the party before we talk of 2023,’’ he said.

He explained that part of the building process of the party was its ongoing reconciliation and peace building effort anchored by the Gov. Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee.

According to him, the committee deserves the support of all party faithful across the country to succeed in its task.

Akpanudoedehe maintained that the APC caretaker committee had done much in restoring confidence in the party across the country’s geopolitical zones.

He added that part of the success story of the committee was the successful resolution of the intractable leadership and factional crisis that divided the party in Cross River and some of its other state chapters.

He urged loyal APC members in Akwa Ibom and the South South geopolitical zone to take full advantage of the party’s planned membership registration to renew their stake in the party ahead of the 2023 general election.