Esseh Ikora in this article spotlights the two major contenders for Akwa Ibom North West senatorial district: Senator Godswill Akpabio and Chris Ekpenyong.
Akpabio rustle the hornet
Former governor of Akwa Ibom state Senator Godswill Akpabio of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and one-time deputy governor Obong Chris Ekpenyong of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have engaged in the war of words for weeks now.
That was expected and in fact understandable. They are wrestling for a prize: Akwa Ibom North West senatorial seat. The incumbent senator and immediate past governor, Akpabio, wants to retain the seat while former deputy governor under Obong Victor Attah, a fellow annang like the senator, thinks the district will gain better if he gets to seat.
Little wonder the duo have resorted to whatever seems potent enough to use against each other. Currently, the brickbat is over alleged sale of electrical equipment meant for the electrification of Ikot Abia.
First to fire the salvo was Akpabio, who defected from the PDP last August to the APC, had during a rally in Obot Akara local government area. He accused Ekpenyong saying he was not qualified to contest for the seat because of his questionable character.
Ekpeyong not your friend
According to Akpabio: “Chris Ekpenyong in 2006 sold all the electrical materials meant for rural electrification projects of Ikot Abia clan in the local government including over 10 units of 200 KVA transformers, 33 KVA generators, MV cables, insulators and poles.”
He urged the people to abandon the PDP candidate (who hails from the area) because he didn’t benefit them throughout his tenure as deputy governor. Instead, he told the people to embrace him by him (Akpabio) in the February 16 National Assembly election, saying that, “A good friend is better than a bad brother”.
It’s wicked insinuation
But in a swift reaction, Ekpenyong dismissed such allegation as “a mere fabrication spewed by a desperate politician who has lost out in the political equation of the district and whose intent was to score cheap political points”.
“I am not a coward and I am not bothered by Akpabio senseless insinuations since those allegations do not resemble me. I have never in my life done any electrification project for Akwa Ibom state government, the government ministries are there, you can go and verify”.
I’ve genuine source of income
Ekpenyong asserted that he never benefitted from any contract from Akpabio in the state. “Before becoming deputy governor, I had been in business in the power sector, executing jobs and trading on power facilities and equipment since 1989. So people should ask Godswill where his company was before he was brought into the government of Obong Victor Attah?
“I am a genuine businessman and employer of labour, my office is at No. 42, Osolo Way in Lagos and up till now, the business is still running, you know the ones in Akwa Ibom State and their locations”.
“I am not a thief because I was well groomed and trained from humble parents whom I also rewarded with a good home, cars and other essential things to make them proud of their son.
“I challenge Godswill Akpabio to show the world the contract award papers for the said electrification projects executed by me as a deputy governor.
We aren’t sway by Akpabio’s threat
He assured voters of Ikot Ekpene senatorial district that “no amount of threat and blackmail will deter me from rescuing your mandate from a known fraudster and blackmailer whose stock in trade is to deceive and dupe people.
Ekpenyong dismissed as laughable the allegation, said that, “Akpabio is using the same bridge he (Ekpenyong) spent his personal N34m to construct for campaigns and got votes in Obot Akara in 2007, 2011 and 2015 without remembering the area afterwards.”
“As a deputy governor, I made a request for construction of this bridge to the then President Obasanjo at a Council of State Meeting, Abuja in 2003 and President Obasanjo directed the then Minister of Works, Chief Tony Anineh of blessed memory to construct the bridge for my people and other Nigerians.
“Armed with this directive, I therefore approached Union Homes Savings & Loans Limited who funded the construction of the bridge, and a total of N64m was spent on the project including the approach-roads.
I spent my personal N34m to build bridge
“At the end, the federal government through the Ministry of Works released only N30m to Union Homes while the balance of N34m, which included bank charges and interest, was paid by me to Union Homes, the records are there”.
“I buried my parents with my personal money, Godswill Akpabio buried his mother with state funds and converted her grave into a secret vault where he stored part of the over N1.64trillion stolen out of the over N3trillion his infamous era received from the Federation Account between 2007 and 2015.
“I have already petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate these allegations and compel him to come and explain how he was able to acquire choice properties in Dubai, Lagos, Abuja and a multi-billion naira international school owned by his wife at Shelter Afrique, Uyo”, Ekpenyong said.
He lamented that “for eight years of Akpabio administration, the only contract he awarded in my Obot Akara local government area, is the abandoned 10km Oku Obom – Ikot Abasi Eduo – Ikot Otu – Usaka Annang road awarded at N4.8b out of which only 4km was completed leaving 6km undone whereas the entire contract sum of N4.8b was disbursed.
Ekpenyong, therefore, urged the people of the district comprising ten Local Government Areas not be misled into returning a candidate who has already shown much disdain for his people and the party that brought him fame and fortune.
