Dennis Udoma
Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, representing Akwa Ibom North East (Uyo) Senatorial District has declared his intention to run for the office of the governor of Akwa Ibom State.
His declaration has put to rest the rumors of in-flighting between him and Governor Udom Emmanuel over the office of governor of the State in 2023.
During a consultative visit to the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday at the Party secretariat in Uyo, Senator Akpan formally declared his intention to contest the office of governor come 2023.
Akpan, who is the Senate Committee chairman, Petroleum (Upstream) was followed by a crowd of supporters, well-wishers and party faithful.
Addressing an enlarged Exco of the party, Senator Akpan urged them to, as a way of rewarding loyalty, ensure a level-playing field for all the aspirants in the contest.
The leading governorship aspirant assured that if the party will remain neutral in coordinating the primaries, he will win landslide to the glory of God and in the overall interest of the state PDP.
He thanked the party chairman, Hon Aniekan Akpan, for steadying the party by his recent comments and actions.
He said there was a time when there was growing concern in the state over the objectivity of the party but that to the glory of God, the leadership eventually arrested the situation.
He debunked claims in a section of the media that he had problems with Governor Emmanuel, insisting that his love for the governor remains intact.
He recalled that the love he always had for Gov Emmanuel made him to step down in 2014, to pave way for the peaceful emergence of the sitting governor.
The same love, he said, was also repeated in 2019, when he remained the only senator standing by the governor for a second term, after the others decamped to APC.
Enumerating his life-touching impacts, the Senator recounted some Akwa Ibom citizens he personally intervened in their situations when they were victimised in their places of work.
Additionally, he said he has sponsored about 426 students on scholarship, with monthly stipends. According to him, through his efforts, about 21 of those students graduated with first class honours.
Reacting, the state Chairman, Aniekan Akpan, commended Senator Akpan for effective representation in the Senate, describing him as “one of the finest”.
Announcing that the PDP in Akwa Ibom is one united family, the chairman said any political party is for service and promised that there will be a level-playing field for all aspirants.
To him, a level-playing field involves proper organisation of voting arrangements without interference, submitting that only one person will eventually become the winner.
Akpan then advised that as the Senator’s campaign starts officially, it should be done with love and pleasantness.
He also advised Senator Akpan to involve God in his campaign and discuss issues stressing that the party would be neutral.
