I Gave Up My Senatorial Ambition In 2019 In Reverence To Akpabio – Ekperikpe Ekpo
A former Member of House of Representatives and the Director General of Akwa Ibom Democratic forum (ADF), Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo has described Senator Godswill Akpabio as a politician with uncommon grace, a mentor and a very dependable leader of all times.
Obongemem Ekpo, who was a one-time Chairman of Ika Local Government Area and popular grassroots politician stated this while rounding off the inauguration ADF chapters in the ten Local Government Areas of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, Saturday.
The group, which began the exercise penultimate week in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, brought the series of inauguration in the Senatorial District to an end with the inauguration of Ukanafun, Oruk Anam, and Abak Chapters.
Addressing mammoth crowd of supporters, who throng the venue of the event at Abak, the Director General said, “Today, we have come to inaugurate ADF in Abak Local Government. This will go down to the unit level and it is all about Senator Godswill Akapbio our grand leader is a known name in Nigerian politics and beyond, a name that cannot be undermined if you want to succeed. He is a man that has the capacity to represent and care for his people. He is a distinguished and dependable leader,” he said.
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Obongemem Ekpo recalled how he had to let go of his Senate ambition in 2019 for Senator Akpabio because he believes in the latter’s leadership and capability to show direction.
“Akpabio is our leader. I allowed my ticket to go in 2019. I was vying for the senate seat and 2019 he came into the APC. I looked at myself – Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, yes a well-known name in the Senatorial District and the State. But His Excellency, Senator Akapbio is a well-known name beyond Akwa Ibom State. If I were in the Senate, I wouldn’t have done much like he did. If I was the candidate of the party and the whole thing turned out to be the way it was, I wouldn’t have been appointed a Minister. But God has made him the Minister and the leader of our people.
“It is not by power, but by the uncommon grace God has given to him. We have to tap into this uncommon grace by identifying with him. Therefore, you have been invited to identify with him so that the goodness of the uncommon grace, the attribute of the uncommon grace will reach you at the appointed time”, Ekpo said.
At the inauguration of the Abak Chapter of Akwa Ibom Democratic Forum, the Coordinator, Barr Oto-Abasi Edet said “Godswill Akpabio is a brand on demand”.
He enumerated the many achievements of Senator Akpabio to Abak and Akwa Ibom State and called on the people of Abak Local Government to support him to do more .
At Civic Centre Ikot Akpa Nkuk, the venue for the inauguration of Ukanafun Chapter, the leadership of ADF was received by jubilant group of women and youths of the area.
The Director General of ADF, Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo said ADF was about Senator Godswill Akpabio, who has distinguished himself as a dependable leader.
Obongemem Ekpo said ADF was out to spread the message of dependable leadership as exemplified by Senator Akpabio.
According to him, “the message that we have come with may not be too new to the elderly ones, but to the younger ones who were not very politically minded when Senator Godswill Akpabio was in power as governor. They need to know this so that they will understand what it takes and what it means to be a good leader. We have come as a result of understanding the good deeds of Senator Godswill Akpabio as a commissioner, as a governor, as a Senator, and of course, as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and resolved that we should work together to support him, encourage him”. the DG stated.
The Director General admonished the youths to be good followers of a leader that has shown dependable leadership in all strata of his public service.
“If you want to be a successful leader, you have to draw closer to Senator Godswill Akpabio, who has shown potential, evidence and whom today has been vindicated as a dependable leader. Godswill Akpabio is a dependable leader, that is why we have come together to work with him. He is a leader who is interested in the affairs of his own people. He is a leader that wants to entrench the virtues of being a dependable leader”.
The ADF Chapter Coordinator of Ukanafun, Hon. Kufre Umoh said Ukanafun was willing and ready to support Senator Akapbio, whom he described as “as son of Ukanafun”.
Umoh enumerated the many things Senator Akpabio did for the Ukanafun Local Government Area when he was the governor, including the provision of electricity, access road, and security of lives and property of the people, resolving that Ukanafun people would follow Senator Akapbio.
He assured that the facility would be used to advance the ideals and principles of dependable leadership, which ADF stands for in Ukanafun, and for the people of Ukanafun Local Government Area.
In Oruk Anam, the Director General, Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo again assured the people of Oruk Anam that Akwa Ibom Democratic Forum (ADF) was the support group of Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Obongemem Ekpo said “Oruk Anam is the Local Government that is so loved by Senator Godswill Akpabio. He has demonstrated love for this local government by choosing a son-in-law of this Local Government to succeed him as governor. I consider that a great honour and love for this Local Government. In the 2019 election, he dragged the position of deputy governorship candidate of APC to Oruk Anam.”
The Director General of ADF said “Senator Akpabio is a man we should celebrate and identify with. He is a man we should queue behind for him to do more for Oruk Anam Local Government Area”.
Also speaking the Coordinator, Hon. Okokon Etiebet said he was delighted to identify with ADF as the support group of Senator Godswill Akpabio. He said that Akpabio has done a lot for Oruk Anam and assured that they will continue to support him.
