2023: A’Ibom won’t return to the era under you, group tells Akpabio

The Akwa Ibom Good Governance Advocates has told Godswill Akpabio, a former governor of the state, that Akwa Ibom will not return to the “era of violence” under him.

Reacting to remarks attributed to the former governor during the funeral of Ime Okopido, a former minister and state chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), the group said peace has returned to Akwa Ibom.

At the funeral ceremony which held at Ika local government area of the state on Saturday, Akpabio was reported to have prayed that God should give Akwa Ibom another governor like him.

But addressing a press conference in Uyo on Sunday, Udeme Ekpe, national president of the group and a former youth leader in the state, said at a time when the state is still struggling to free itself from the psychological trauma and scars of the “bloody era” when Akpabio held sway, anyone wishing to take the state back does not wish Akwa Ibom well.

The group described Akpabio’s comment as hypocritical, saying he is being mischievous and playing to the gallery at an event that was supposed to be solemn.

“I feel the minister was mischievously playing to gallery, but I find this out of place because that was not the best place to talk or play politics. It was disrespectful to the family that was mourning their dead,” he said.

“Akpabio’s rethorics that Akwa Ibom State does not need leaders that would build temples in Dubai, and London, but those that would build people and community, is ironic and an indictment on Akpabio himself and his administration which was famous for littering the state with white elephant projects which he left behind. Also, it’s amusing to hear this statement from a man that has undisclosed number of private property around the world that he never had untill when he became Governor of Akwa Ibom State.

“While we agree with Akpabio that Governance is like a building block and when one takes it to a level, another who succeeds him has to take it further, it does not warrant building on existing evils such as the numerous killings, violence, assassinations and all the politically motivated killings we saw in this state during his administration.

“Never will Akwa Ibom have a governor like Akpabio in 2023. He is day dreaming. He will not take us back to the gory era when even the Church was not safe for critics of his regime, where our Royal Fathers were not spared.”