By Akinwale Kasali
Udom Ekpoudom, the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senatorial Candidate for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District has debunked the rumours making the rounds that he has stepped down for the immediate past Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill. Akpabio.
Ekpoudom, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police said that it was a blatant lie from the pit of hell which is also laughable.
He disclosed that some powerful forces in the APC have been mounting pressure on him to step down for the former Akwa Ibom State Governor, but he remains defiant because if he steps down, he would be chased out of the land.
He vowed that no matter the pressure, he would never succumb because it would be seen as betraying his people.
Speaking on Friday at Ediene, Abak Local Government Area, in reaction to insinuations that some elders have prevailed on him to step down for Akpabio, he said his Senatorial ambition was not his personal project is the project for the redemption of Abak five communities which have not had any shot at the National Assembly for the past 16-years.
“It is laughable to say that I stepped down for anyone, some people have been appealing to me to step down but I have been saying no, and will continue to say no because it is not my project precisely but the peoples’ project. I don’t want to be chased away from Abak Federal Constituency.
“I don’t want to betray my people, you can even imagine now, for 16 years this part of Akwa Ibom has not produced a Senator, it is only Ikot Ekpene which had produced five senators and somebody wants to come in again, it is not possible. Abak-5 is ready or the whole Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District is ready. I look at those coming to tell me to step down as enemies of the Abak federal constituency.
“Even if they want to offer me the Head of State, I won’t accept it. All I want is to get what belongs to us. If Abak loses now, it would affect the whole Federal constituency and Senatorial District.”
Ekpoudom added that “Akpabio is a desperate politician who has turned deaf ears to the voices of prominent stakeholders including, Don Etiebet who has advised him not to contest”.
He said, “That is how desperate my brother is, he has the right to do whatever he wants to do. If I were him, I wouldn’t go because he has turned himself into the enemy of the Abak people and that’s not the best, Don Etiebet is somebody that we respect in Akwa Ibom, if somebody like that talks to him and he didn’t hear who will talk to him and he will hear.”
Revealing his plans for his constituents, he promised to address the high level of poverty in the district if elected.
“I want to alleviate the poverty and sufferings of my people. My people are so poor, they don’t live as if they are in Nigeria. The people they sent there only went to enrich themselves. Look at my youths, moving like nomadic people, because no work for them. Something must be done,” he added.
