The Akwa Ibom State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC on Tuesday rubbished the Group Captain Sam Ewang convened stakeholders meeting that proclaimed Minister of Nigeria Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, former governor of the State as Leader of the party in the state.
Arising from a State Executive Meeting of the party at the State party office located along Ikot Ekpene road, Uyo the State Capital, State Chairman of the party, Dr Ita Udosen said Group Captain Sam Ewang lacks the powers to convene a stakeholders meeting of the party and as such resolutions reached at the meeting which proclamed Chief Godswill Akpabio as leader of the party were illegal and of no effect on the party whatsoever.
Dr Udoedeghe, who was flanked by other members of the state working Committee of the party said there is no division in the party as insinuated by Ewang additing that only duly constituted party executive at all levels were empowered by the Constitution of the party to organise any party meeting and in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
Udosen Said: “…Group Captain Sam Ewang does not have the powers to call a stakeholders meeting of APC and where he attempts to do it, whatever resolutions reached at the end of such meeting is void, a nullity. The general public and the party should ignore it and continue to support the party.
“The party is united, I want to let the general public to get that information. It is not true that these two leaders have not been invited to Stakeholders meeting of the party. The truth is that they chose to ignore those invitations and sometimes, they have send apologies for not attending the meetings. If they have sent apologies and their apologies read to other stakeholders at the meeting, how can they now claim exclusion? These leaders were only looking for excuses to plant an illegality on the party. There is no provision in APC Constitution for one to be called a Party Leader. Reports of such appointment by one who has no such powers is a nullity and an affront on the party Constitution which the party will address.
Speaking on the just concluded registration and revalidation exercise of the party, Dr Ita Udosen said he was impressed at the public acceptance shown the ruling broom party by Akwa Ibomites. He said more members of the public have registered in the party making it strong and very close to her goal of taking over power in 2023. He said: “The party is united and getting stronger by the day. Just by way of information, the party has recorded about 706,000 party members so far in Akwa Ibom State.
By the time we are done with the sorting of party registration and revalidation which just ended, it is clear we may reach an 800,000 membership strength in Akwa Ibom State. This is enough membership capacity to record victory in 2023 elections in Akwa Ibom State.
We thank our brothers and sisters who have confidence in our ability as a party to drive the much needed change process in our state.
“I want to say that every party member must resolve to help the party succeed by shunning agents of disunity who are beginning to show their face in our party affairs. The symbol of our party is broom and signifies unity. We must come together and be united and focused on the goal of winning I’m 2023”, he said.
Leader tussle had ensued in Akwa Ibom of APC since the defection of Akpabio from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in August 2018
