Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom state threw a red carpet for Godswill Akpabio to welcome him to the state following his emergence as President of the Nigerians Senate in June last year.
The event, many thought, was organized by the state governor to show that he’s in a rosy relationship with Akpabio, the nation’s number three citizen.
But with what is now playing out, Akpabio’s appears to have sent a strong signal to the governor that he’s prepared to lead his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, to dislodged Governor Eno’s party, Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, from power in the oil rich state, in the next governorship election in 2027.
Governor Eno swept to power last year through the assistance of his predecessor, Udom Emmanuel who had a stormy relationship with the senate president, a former political ally, on whose wings he also rode to office few years before.
The incumbent may have been set up for a similar power struggle by Akpabio who declared on Friday that his party has its eyes set on the government house.
Speaking during a PDP stakeholders’ meeting in Uyo, Akpabio stated that it is an aberration for an opposition party to be in charge of the state.
He served Governor Eno a notice of the imminent takeover of the state by the APC, whose members, he said, are prepared to unite for the onerous task of winning the governorship in a few years times.
Akpabio said, “I’ve mandated the Chairman of the party to set up a reconciliation committee in the state, we have to bring our members together. If we are united, there is no barrier that we can’t break.
“I pray against confusion among my leaders not in Uyo alone but in all the senatorial districts, we must reconcile among ourselves.
‘’It will be an aberration for the number three citizen not to have a governor from the same party at the end of an election.
“You know wherever the senate president is, that is where the party is.
“Is it possible that Nigeria will give Akwa Ibom the number three citizen and at the end of the election, it will not produce an APC governor.
“So, I didn’t know whether you were serious, but in 2027, I want to assure you that we will be more serious.”
Meanwhile, keen watchers of politics in the state informed the magazine that the ruling PDP must do more to retain power even though the party is more entrenched in the state.
Akpabio, according to them has a track record of springing surprises.
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