Forum urges APC leadership to intervene in Akwa Ibom crisis

All Progressives Congress (APC) Advocates Forum has urged the party’s Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee to call those fomenting trouble in the Akwa Ibom chapter to order.

Mr Johnson Essien, National Coordinator of the forum made the call in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

He, however, said the forum would be forced to expose those behind the crisis in the chapter, if they failed to desist.

Essien stressed that former Gov. Godswill Akpabio and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, remained the leader of the party in the state.

This, he said, was especially because he was a serving cabinet member and had good antecedents while he was the state governor.

He advised those sponsoring mischief against him to desist, adding that his political sagacity as two term governor could not be compared to any other person in the state.

The forum’s national coordinator described as an unwise, decision by some chieftains of the party in the state to contest the natural leadership bestowed on Akpabio by God.

“The recent development in Akwa Ibom APC by a segment of the party denying Akpabio as the leader of the party in the state is unwise, this in spite of the natural role nature has bestowed on him.

“We, therefore urge the Gov. Mai Mala Buni-led APC National Caretaker Committee to look inward and call to order, the enemy within the system causing bad blood in Akwa Ibom chapter of APC,” he said.

He described Akwa Ibom chapter as a body without an engine until Akpabio joined the party in 2018.

Essien recalled that during Akpabio’s eight years as governor, he changed the face of the state and touched lives like never before.

He added that his antecedents while serving as a governor, earned him the nick name: uncommon transformer.

“On assuming office as minister, he has been a stickler for performance, committing himself to ensuring the speedy development of the Niger Delta region in tandem with his ministry’s mandate,” Essien said.

He said that for any party leader or aspirant in the state to go far politically in 2023, he would need the support of Akpabio.

“We are using this medium to warn the crisis merchants to desist,” he said.