2023: You were defeated in 2019, Ekpenyong tackles Akpabio

The senator representing Akwa Ibom North-West (Ikot Ekpene) senatorial district, Dr. Chris Ekpenyong, has advised the former minister of the Niger Delta Affairs and the All Progressives senatorial candidate for the 2013 election, Godswill Akpabio, to shelve his senatorial ambition as he has been rejected by the people.

He said that the former minority leader should not even bother to contest again as he would face another impending defeat such as the one he suffered in 2019

Akpabio had while inaugurating his Senatorial Campaign Council for the Ikot Ekpene senatorial district on Thursday claimed that he won the 2019 election but the results were manipulated in favour of Ekpenyong.

The former governor of Akwa Ibom state had said, “The people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District want to use this election to prove to the world that their son, Senator Godswill Akpabio, won the senatorial election in 2019 but the results were manipulated against him and one of those who took part in that heinous crime, is today cooling off in prison.”

“The outcome of that election was taken to Uyo against what the law says and the rest is now history. Another opportunity now beckons for the good people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District to prove a point, that their votes was for me in 2019”

Continuing he said “Let me also caution our supporters. Whoever brings money to you, collect it but vote your conscience because your vote will surely count this time around. Don’t swear to any fetish oath.Vote APC all the way. Don’t allow the ongoing court case challenging the candidacy of Obong Akan Udofia to deter you, he remains the candidate of the party.

“A vote for me to go to the Senate is a vote for appointments, human capital development, Scholarship and empowerment and taking Akwa Ibom to the centre of national politics”

Reacting to Akpabio’s claim, the press secretary to Senator Ekpenyong, Mr. Providence Essien, in a statement titled, “the Return of the National Comedian” made available to our correspondent on Saturday said such falsehood by Akpabio can only come from a man “who is still living in his false dreams after many years of being rejected by the electorate”. Punch