The Akwa Ibom State chapter of the All Progressives Congress APC has described as null and void the purported proclamation of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio as leader of the party, saying by law, the state chairman is the head of the party caucus in the state. The decision of the party was taken at its second Stakeholders Meeting at the weekend in Uyo to review the state of affairs of the party in the first quarter of the year and to also report the achievements and challenges facing the party in the State.

In the communique issued after the meeting and obtained by our correspondent, stakeholders “endorsed the decision of the State Executive Committee SEC to declare as a nullity the unilateral proclamation and announcement of Sen. Godswill Akpabio as the State Party Leader of APC in gross violation of the Party’s Constitution in the unauthorised and illegal Stakeholders meeting of Sunday, March 28, 2021. “That the Party hereby reminds every member and the general public that the State Chairman (or Caretaker Chairman as applicable here) is the Chairman of the State Caucus as provided for in Article 12.9 Sub (i) of the party Constitution (October 2014 As Amended) and remains the Party Leader in the State until further notice”.

Those who attended the meeting and signed the communique were the National Secretary of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee CECPC, Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe; Akwa Ibom APC Caretaker State Chairman, Dr. Ita Udosen; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA), Umana Okon Umana; SSA to the President, Sen. Ita Enang; Dr. Amadu Atai; Member, South South APC Reconciliation Committee, Obong Sunny Jackson; Archbishop Samuel Akpan; Chief Godwin Afangideh and Sam Ewang. Other attendees were: Sir Ibanga Akpabio; Chief Otu Ita Toyo; Rt. Hon. Nse Ntuen; Dora Ebong; Mr. Sonny Ayang; Hon. Uwem Udoma; DIG Ekpoudom (rtd.); Effiong Akwa; Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Ukoete; Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Ekpenyong; Mr. Austin Ekanem; Barr. Effiong Abia; All members of Akwa Ibom APC State Executive Committee; among many other stakeholders.

Vanguard had earlier reported that Group Captain Sam Ewang (retd), a former military governor of Ogun and Rivers States had stormed out of the meeting after he was reportedly denied the opportunity to speak at the event. The Party also thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the successes his administration has recorded so far and for his unrelenting effort at tackling corruption, economic and security challenges in the country. Source: Vanguard News Nigeria