The crisis rocking the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has deepened as stakeholders have petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging his immediate intervention to prevent the party from collapsing ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a strongly worded petition titled “The Worrisome State of The APC in Akwa Ibom State: A Call for Your Urgent Intervention,” party chieftains, including Elder Okokon James (Uyo Senatorial District), Hon. Peter Ibanga (Akwa Ibom South), and Hon. Victor Affiah (Ikot Ekpene), lamented that the APC in the state is on the brink of extinction due to internal sabotage and selfish leadership.
The petition, which was made available to journalists in Uyo, accused the state APC chairman, Hon. Stephen Ntukekpo, and Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas), Obong Ekperikpe Ekpo, of prioritizing personal interests over the party’s survival. The stakeholders alleged that the duo is working against APC’s success, pushing loyal members to abandon the party as the 2027 elections draw near.
The statement read in part: “We, the founding fathers of the APC in Akwa Ibom, have never witnessed this level of betrayal, greed, and treachery. Since our days in the defunct Action Congress (AC) and later the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), we have remained steadfast, but the selfishness displayed by the current leadership is unprecedented.”
The petitioners further alleged that both Ntukekpo and Ekpo have been instructed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio to weaken the party in Akwa Ibom to ensure an easy victory for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2027. According to them, this move is part of a deal to secure PDP’s support for Akpabio’s rumored third-term senatorial ambition.
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They warned that if the situation remains unaddressed, President Tinubu may not have party loyalists to welcome him when he visits Akwa Ibom for his re-election campaign next year. “The soul of APC in Akwa Ibom has been sold to the PDP government. As a result, many party members are preparing to join a coalition of opposition groups against your second-term bid,” the petition read.
Calling for urgent action, the stakeholders urged Tinubu to intervene immediately and restructure the party leadership in the state to restore confidence among party faithful.
Meanwhile, the Special Assistant to the Senate President, Jackson Udom, dismissed the allegations as “beer parlour rumors.” Reacting to the claims, Udom questioned the petitioners, asking, “How much did Akpabio sell the party for? APC remains strong in Akwa Ibom.”
He argued that some party members are agitating for an unnecessary confrontation with the PDP, despite no pressing political battle at the moment. “They want APC, which is under the leadership of the Senate President, to be fighting the PDP. Politics is beyond that. Because of the harmony, peace, and unity between Akpabio and Governor Umo Eno, they are making baseless allegations. Let them wait until campaign season begins,” Udom added.
