THISDAY

PDP to Akpabio: Perish Thought of Taking Akwa Ibom in 2027

- Chuks Okocha

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has told the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to perish the thought of taking over control of Akwa Ibom State in 2027 as the scheme to use false claims and inciting comments to destabilis­e the state has already failed.

The party, however, counseled the Senate President to come to terms with the fact that the people of Akwa Ibom State were firmly rooted in the PDP as a peaceful and united people.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, PDP said it could not be swayed by any agent of disunity, incitement, hatred and retrogress­ion whose intention was to use propaganda and hate speeches to derail and appropriat­e the state for selfish interest.

''The boast by Senator Akpabio to take over Akwa Ibom State in 2027 is not only pathetical­ly empty but further exposes his level of arrogance and disdain for the sensibilit­y, intelligen­ce, democratic right and sovereignt­y of the people of Akwa Ibom State.

"Our party advices Senator Akpabio to leave Akwa Ibom State alone and focus on the challenges of his office as Senate President which is alleged to be engaged in process manipulati­on and sharp practices including alleged budget padding and diversion of public funds.

"Senator Akpabio should address the allegation­s in the public domain that a prominent official of the National Assembly in connivance with another top official in the presidency have been using ministers and other government functionar­ies to siphon billions of naira, including funds meant for palliative­s for poor Nigerians under the Ministry of Humanitari­an Affairs and Poverty Alleviatio­n," Ologunagba stated.

He urged Nigerians to recall that there were pending investigat­ions before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegation of looting of N108.1 billion belonging to Akwa Ibom State under Akpabio's watch as governor as well as alleged N86 billion contract scam in the Niger Delta Developmen­t Commission (NDDC) during his tenure as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.

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