Niger Delta Affairs Minister, Godswill Akpabio, who is widely speculated to have a burning presidential ambition, is bracing for a fight to finish with Governor Udom Emmanuel as far as the 2023 governorship battle for Akwa Ibom Srare is concerned.
Akpabio picked Udom from one of the leading commercial banks in Nigeria, where he was a top executive, and made him Secretary to the State Government. Though Akpabio dominated the affairs of the state for eight years as its governor, the duo parted ways when the former governor defected to All Progressives Congress (APC).
In 2019, after a failed attempt to return to the Senate, President Muhammadu Buhari rescued Akpabio from going into political oblivion, and made him minister.
Now, Akpabio is set to fight Udom on the 2023 governorship front. This development is running counter to the claim by some loud-mouthed Udom supporters that the governor and the minister have secretly reconciled in a bid to frustrate Senator Bassey Albert’s governorship dream.
It seems the preferred governorship of the ‘’stakeholders’’ of Akwa Ibom is providing the ammunition for Udom’s political foes to fire at the out-going governor.
Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has even given credence to the emerging 2023 governorship war in Akwa Ibom. The cleric is warning Akwa Ibom ahead of the next governorship elections. The other states also being warned are Delta, Enugu, and Rivers States.
For Akwa Ibom, Primate Ayodele says the governor’s anointed aspirant, Pastor Umo Eno will not be able to win the election. While advising Governor Udom to work on someone else as the seer adds that he foresees former Governor Akpabio’s candidate putting up a serious contest in the election.
‘’In Akwa Ibom State, Governor Udom Emmanuel’s anointing of Pastor Umo Eno as his successor will not see the light of the day, he should better work on someone else now or else, PDP will lose Akwa Ibom State. Pastor Umo Eno will not be able to beat Godswill Akpabio’s candidate, he doesn’t have the clout’’, he said.
In the case of Delta, Primate Ayodele noted that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa will face challenges if he doesn’t pick James Augoye as his successor.
In a statement by his Media Aide, Osho Oluwatosin, the clergyman noted that Augoye is the only person that can give the Governor the rest of mind he desires. He advised James Ibori and Governor Okowa to work together to pick a reliable candidate.
‘’In Delta State, Governor Okowa and James Ibori should join together to pick a reliable candidate, Okowa will face challenges that he will suffer from if he doesn’t pick James Augoye, he is the best candidate that can deliver and give him rest of mind, that’s what I am seeing.
“If Okowa doesn’t do the right thing, there won’t be peace in the State, the best candidate is James Augoye. The government needs to do the rightful thing so he won’t be disappointed when he gives it to the wrong person‘’, he said.
For Enugu State, Primate Ayodele revealed that only Ike Ekweremadu can make things work in the State and not betray the present Governor.
The man of God stated that although there are other candidates, but Ekweremadu is the best. He then advised that no candidate should be underrated.
‘’In Enugu state, it’s only Ike Ekweremadu that can make it work. He will do better and will not betray the Governor. The governor should consult God than human. Though there are other candidates but the best who can make it work is Ekweremadu.
‘’If he fails to listen, he will choose an enemy who will be after his downfall. Meanwhile, no candidate should be underrated, but PDP will still retain the State. The Governor will not like it but the best candidate that can sustain his work is Ekweremadu’’, he said.
Speaking on Rivers State, Primate Ayodele revealed that the best candidate for Governor Wike is around him and not outside his cabinet. He described the person as not up to 56 years old.
The man of God advised the Governor not to look outside the cabinet so as not to choose an enemy as a successor.
‘’In Rivers State, Wike’s successor is around him, the person is not up to 56 years, he’s a young man, he doesn’t need to look outside his cabinet, it’s within, he will be the one to stand and even perform better than Wike.’’
