Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the APC, has appointed the former senate minority leader, Godswill Akpabio as the state leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress. This appointment is a downgrade from Akpabio’s role as a national leader in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The national party leader announced this on Wednesday, August 8, 2018, at a mega rally in Ikot Ekpene that formally received Godswill Akpabio, the immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State, into the party.
Oshiomhole described Akpabio as an uncommon transformer for pulling a mammoth crowd to the Ikot Ekpene Stadium.
To him, the sea of heads at the stadium, the energy of the youth, their sheer determination, as evidenced by the fact that they had been waiting since morning, were indicators that they wanted a change in the state.
Wednesday, August 8, 2018, is historic in the life of our party, APC. For too long, when I was governor of Edo State, even now my successor, Godwin Obaseki, we have always said that in the whole of the South South, it is only in Edo State that APC has a governor,” Oshiomhole, the immediate past governor of Edo State said.
“We are determined to find other states in the South South to join forces with Edo State to sustain the changes that Nigeria badly requires.
“There are people who are giving the impression that Akwa Ibom State belongs to them, but today, with what my eyes have seen (mammoth crowd), in February next year, the great people of Akwa Ibom State will effect a change, under the leadership of a man of honour, Akpabio, who did what other people failed to do, by saying enough of the umbrella that has been badly shattered by terrible political weather, after misruling Nigeria for 16 years.
“What other people are afraid to do, Akpabio did it after deep reflection and he listened to the yearnings of his people, by sacrificing the title of Minority Leader of the Senate to join the APC. Akpabio did what Senator Bukola Saraki is unable to do and he has shown that the people of the Southsouth zone can be different, where it matters. We can stand up and be counted.
“I know that with your (Akpabio’s membership of our great party (APC), we will benefit from your uncommon transformational qualities that you demonstrated while you were the governor of this great state. You (Akpabio) are an uncommon defector. There are ordinary defectors, who want to move, but they want to steal the crown. We have an uncommon rally in Ikot Ekpene.
“Akwa Ibom people are united that in 2019, under the leadership and guidance of Akpabio, this state will join the states of progressive governance.
