22/07/2023
A REFUTAL:
RE: The Killing of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State by Senator Godswill Akpabio, President of the Senate and our call for the protection of the party with the Nomination as Minister of Obong Umana Okon Umana of Ibibio Majority Ethnic Group of Uyo Senatorial District to save the APC from collapse.
READ:
** OBONG UMANA OKON UMANA AND HIS COHORT ARE THE REAL KILLERS OF ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC) IN AKWA IBOM STATE AND THEY CANNOT REAP FROM WHERE THEY DID NOT SOW.
The attention of Akwa Ibom Renaissance Group has been drawn to a worthless piece of self-serving hogwash purported to promote and burnish the tattered image of Mr. Umana Okon Umana and written on a poorly forged copy of our letterhead. The faceless authors of the piece of bigotry using the name “Akwa Ibom APC Renaissance ” which we believe are acting under the direction, guidance and sponsorship of the immediate past Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Umana Okon Umana, have in their desperate bid to launder the image of a morally discredited and politically drowning man, thrown caution to the wind by casting aspersion on the person, name and office of His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Niger and an illustrious son of Akwa Ibom State.
For the avoidance of doubts and to set the records straight, we state as follows:
1. The petition dated July 12, 2023 is a piece of forgery and is not from Akwa Ibom Renaissance. The authors are not members of Akwa Ibom Renaissance. Unknown to the former Minister, the group which stood solidly behind his aspiration and candidature in 2015 is a duly registered/incorporated entity with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). We have therefore laid a Petition before the Inspector-General of Police and DSS to smoke out these impostors and their desperate sponsor(s) for daring to misrepresent the group.
2. Since the formation of APC in 2014, this is the first time (2023 elections) under the pragmatic leadership of Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON that the Party in Akwa Ibom State has made a marked showing at the general elections – winning a Senatorial seat and two (2) House of Representatives seats.
3. That as opposed to 2015 when Mr. Umana Okon Umana made his infamous entry into APC and became its Candidate, the Party lost in all the elections and to demonstrate the insincerity of the character of Mr. Umana Okon Umana, HE DID NOT VOTE IN HIS OWN ELECTION! At the Governorship Tribunal that followed, he put up a feeble petition which the Courts had no difficulty in dismissing.
4. Soon after, Mr. Umana Okon Umana was appointed as the Managing Director/CEO of Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA) and spent his entire tenure outside Akwa Ibom State using his resources to fund his fantasies while neglecting the Party and its members.
5. That acting in cahoots with a former Minister from neighboring State, Mr. Umana Okon Umana ensured that the APC in Akwa Ibom State did not win the Governorship elections in 2019. The results from his Unit, Ward and LGA will attest to this fact.
6. In the build up to the 2023 general elections, Mr. Umana Okon Umana sponsored a litany of litigations against the authentic Candidates nominated/sponsored by the Party in the 2023 elections up to the Supreme Court.
7. As if that was not enough, having failed at the Courts, Mr. Umana Okon Umana as Minister of Niger Delta funded and directed his followers to vote for the Candidates of the PDP in his Unit, and LGA. Mr. Umana Umana only secured a negotiated win in his Unit at the Presidential election. Instructively, the result was published on national TV and in the dailies. He had also told the Press that he had no obligation to work for the Party or its candidates since he was not on the ballot. Please attached reports.
8. Mr. Umana Okon Umana having spared no effort and resource to destroy the Party and denigrate Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON, cannot turn around to be a beneficiary of outcomes which he openly opposed.
9. No unmerited political advantage can be earned on the altar of ethnic bigotry. The public must ignore and discountenance the boyish threats of a mass exodus from the APC by a section of the State as infantile and laughable. Mr. Umana Okon Umana does not have the capacity or followership to cause any upset within the political space as his shenanigans is known to all.
10. As a people with membership representation cutting across all the Local government areas in the State, we reaffirm our support and confidence in the leadership of the Party in Akwa Ibom State as provided by Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON.
11. Yes, Ibibio as you say is the highest and biggest Ethnic Group in Akwa Ibom State. What did you do to sustain the existence of the Ibibio Ethnic Group? As a Director, Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority and later as a serving Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? Rather to yours as a Minister of Niger Delta Affairs from Ibibio terminated the appointment of some prominent Ibibio sons that was engaged at the Niger Delta Commission (NDDC) by His Excellency, Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON (an Annang man) when he was a Minister.
12. Though the Uyo Senatorial District as you rightly say deserves a Ministerial nominee; but certainly, MUST not be you Obong Umana Okon Umana.
13. As you stated earlier that His Excellency Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio only considers the Minority Ethnic Group in Akwa Ibom State, we put to you that it is in record that the very first batch of appointment so far given by the Senate President are given to two prominent Ibibio sons from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District. For the record, may we also remind you that it was this Godswill Akpabio from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District (An Annang man) as proclaimed by you, made you the Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government for Eight years and other prominent Ibibio sons for very important offices when he was a Governor.
Long Live Akwa Ibom Renaissance (APC)!
Long Live the All Progressives Congress (APC)!!
Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!!
SIGNED:
Comrade Anthony Bassey
National Coordinator
Akwa Ibom Renaissance Group
Cc:
1. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
2. Senator George Akume
Secretary to the Federal Government
3. Senator Godswill Akpabio
Senate President
4. Femi Gbajabiamila
Chief of Staff to the President
5. National Working Committee, APC
