2023 Guber: Victor Attah-led Akwa Ibom Council of Elders meet candidates January 4

Gubernatorial candidates across all political parties for the 2023 General elections in Akwa Ibom State will on Wednesday, January 4, 2023, meet with the pan Akwa Ibom organisation, Akwa Ibom State Council of Elders.

According to a statement signed by the Protem Secretary of the Council, Chief Moses Essien, the meeting will be in form of an interactive session with the candidates.

Venue of the session is the main auditorium of the Ibom E-library and time is 11am.

The meeting will be the Council’s first major activity for 2023 and will afford the forum, chaired by former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Victor Attah, opportunity to interact with the candidates.

The Elders Council is made up of all former Governors of the state and their Deputies, all former Ministers, all former Senators, all former Ambassadors, all former Secretaries to Government, all former Vice Chancellors, all retired State Chief Judges and all retired Judges of the State, Federal, Appellate and Supreme Courts.

Others in the Council are former Commissioners who left office in the last 20 years, all retired Military Officers not below the rank of Colonel in the Army and their equivalents in the Navy and Air Force and all retired Police Officers not below the rank of Commissioners and their equivalents in the DSS, Customs, Immigration and Civil Defence.

The major candidates expected at the meeting are Pastor Umoh Eno of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Senator John James Akpanudoedeghe of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

Obong Akanimo Udofia of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was sacked by the Federal High Court which ordered that new primaries be conducted. So, technically, APC has no candidate for the position at present. Also, Senator Bassey Albert of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), is currently serving a jail sentence pending appeal.