Things are falling apart in the Akwa Ibom State All Progressives Congress (APC) as top functionaries of the party are no longer at ease with the overbearing attitude of the former Governor of the State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, particularly the way he allegedly used about N1.6 billion to corner the State sole ministerial slot, despite that he is still at the tribunal, challenging the election of Senator Chris Ekpenyong of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District election.
A chieftain of the party who craved anonymity confided in our reporter yesterday, that Akpabio boasted that it was his money that earned him the ministerial appointment and that he was ready to spend more to get a juicy portfolio, preferably Petroleum or Niger-Delta Ministry.
The APC chieftain alleged that Akpabio doled out “N500 million each to two main people while a man that he described as ‘major factor’ got N600 million and will get another N500 million if he is able to fix him (Akpabio) in his choice ministry.”
He said majority of those that Senator Akpabio met in the APC in the State are already feeling cheated and insulted, with Akpabio himself telling them that he is not the leader of the party and he anyone not on his side will get nothing in Abuja.
A Presidency source had told our reporter that Senator Ita Enang, APC governorship candidate; Nsima Ekere, the party’s guber candidate in 2015; Umana Okon Umana, Senator John Udoedehe and former Minister of Petroleum; Don Etiebet were being considered for the Akwa Ibom State ministerial slot before Akpabio showed interest and used money to sway the Villa Cabal to his side.
“In fact, Senator Akpabio was not in the picture at all because he already assured that he will win his senatorial election and deliver the governorship to our party. So the choice for ministerial position was already narrowed to Senator Ita Enang and Chief Don Etiebet, the caucus leader of the APC in Akwa Ibom State.
“Even after Akpabio lost his senatorial election and we also lost the governor election, only the party candidate, Nsima Ekere was included in the considered candidates for minister because he (Akpabio) assured that he had a very good case at the tribunal.
“Suddenly, he (Akpabio) started showing interest in the ministerial appointment and you know that he has a very deep pocket and he is a big spender, he was able to upstage Enang, Etiebet and Ekere and the rest is now history,” a presidency source said. Investigations by our reporter revealed that Senator Akpabio opted for the ministerial position as a way of keeping himself in power in preparation for the 2023 Presidency or Senate Presidency.
Already, he is said to have put machineries in motion to dislodge former Governor of Rivers State and immediate past Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi as leader of the APC in the South South. He was even said to have tried albeit unsuccessfully to stop Amaechi’s return as minister.
Akpabio’s evil displacement of Ita Enang, Umana , Nsima, Etiebet, Udoedehe etc. his plans to fight Amaechi for supremacy in the federal cabinet. His deceit of APC hierarchy in the state and national. His boast of paying for ministerial appointment. Don’t miss the details.we must have it out this morning. Thanks
It should be recalled that a US-based Nigerian Academic and Socio-Political Commentator, Farooq Kperogi, reportedly alleged that “except for a few ministerial nominations (notably those of Adamu Adamu, Ali Isa Pantami, Mohammed Musa Bello, Raji Fashola whom Buhari himself personally penciled— and those that were conceded to Tinubu) every other post was literally auctioned off to the highest bidder.” Titled; “Ministership for Sale: Up to N2.5b Per Slot,” he specifically alleged that Jeddy Agba from Cross River State, a Diezani protégé who defected to APC to avoid EFCC scrutiny, was said to have given a very close ally of the President up to N2.5 billion for his nomination. “I was told that, at a point, the incredibly rapacious Abba Kyari, in fact, removed Musa Bello’s name from the list and sold the spot to someone else. Buhari somehow found out and recalled the list. Bello is the son of Buhari’s very close friend,” he wrote on his twitter handle
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