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How Oruk-Anam people exploded the myth of Abak-5

The easily touted myth of Abak-5, which has become a handy tool of emotional blackmail for political vendetta and mileage within Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District exploded into smithereens on Wednesday, January 25, 2023 when Senator Godswill Akpabio debuted in Oruk-Anam LGA to commence his long awaited ward tour which may have been hindered by lingering litigation that was finally resolved by the Nation’s Apex Court on January 20, 2023.

Akpabio told a mammoth crowd that gathered at Government Primary School, Ikot Afanga in Oruk-Anam LGA that the local government has been his political backbone since 2006 when he vied for the governorship of the State and they supported him to defeat 56 other aspirants and also stood with him to win the election of 2007 that produced him as the executive governor of Akwa Ibom State.

Naysayers had thought that Akpabio cannot survive their machination which was alleged to be an expanded tapestry of vicious behemoths from even APC said to be in active cahoots with the state establishment with the common objective of sending Akpabio to political nunc dimittis even when his value for the entire state is still priceless. But providence stood with him and he survived their schemes to be on the ballot as candidate for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.

This singular development which came as a ruling of the Supreme Court brought his traducers face to face with failure, precipitating utterances that are either unfounded claims or outright invectives against the person of Godswill Akpabio. One of the false claims is that Abak-5 is against the candidacy of Senator Godswill Akpabio as senator representing Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District.

Nothing can be farther from the truth and Oruk- Anam people took time on January 25, first at Government Primary School, Ikot Afanga and later at County Council Arena, Ikot Akpan Essien to strongly debunk this claim, sieve the truth from the chaff and give it a force of effect and credibility. At Government Primary School, Ikot Afanga the event which was supposed to be a ward tour took up the colouration of a well-attended local government rally signposting the electoral value of Godswill Akpabio, widespread acceptability and the mass appeal he enjoys.

Welcoming Akpabio and his entourage including the wife, Her Excellency, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Godswill Akpabio, the House of Assembly hopeful and APC candidate for Oruk-Anam State Constituency, Engineer Aniekan Solomon Abraham thanked Akpabio for starting his ward tour from Oruk-Anam.

He said that Oruk-Anam has 112,965 votes spread across 222 units that are ready to deliver Akpabio without any compromise. Speaking further, Engineer Aniekan Solomon, who is fondly referred to as ‘Anisolo’, said that Akwa Ibom is a minority craving for a voice at the national level, stating that Oruk-Anam has taken a decision to adopt Godswill Akpabio as a project for that national voice which would elude the senatorial district and the state if he is not there. The House of Representatives candidate for APC for Ukanafun/Oruk-Anam Federal Constituency, Barrister Freedom Ibritam forayed into the etymology of the name Godswill stating that it means the will of God and stressing that nobody can dim his light. He said that he can only congratulate Senator Akpabio because he has won the election and is awaiting inauguration.

The former police officer who narrated personal experiences of the pride Akpabio’s name has brought to Akwa Ibom people across the globe said that he is proud that he would be his neighbour from the Green Chamber. The highpoint was the introduction and ushering in of Senator Akpabio to the podium. Elder Joseph Tombere whose adeptness for that role is incomparable employed poise, wit, songs and a full gale of dramaturgy to bring to stage the most spectacular politician of our time and APC senatorial candidate of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.

Looking at the sea of people in utter disbelief, Akpabio told the ecstatic mammoth crowd that he became governor as John the Baptist so that other Annang sons could find the courage to also aspire using the performance benchmark of Godswill Akpabio. He said that he was happy to see Anam people gather in droves for Godswill Akpabio, promising to reciprocate by completing the uncompleted part of the road as one who does politics of development. The former two terms performing governor said that he was returning to the Senate to perfect what he had started.

He charged the people to vote for Tinubu so as to complete the lofty development plan for the country. The Anam part of Oruk-Anam, which has wards 8,9,10,11,12 and 13 totalling 6 out of the 13 wards of the local government, acted as if it was in competition to outdo Oruk in the reception of Akpabio. From the early hours, the County Council Arena had begun to receive people from the various wards of that political bloc. By the time Akpabio arrived at the arena that afternoon, the boisterous crowd was in peak of joyous frenzy.

They shouted and screamed in excitement as Akpabio took a tour around the arena waving and pumping hands. Welcoming Akpabio, the House of Assembly hopeful, Engr Aniekan Solomon condemned the recent views of Atuekong Don Etiebet which said that Abak-5 has resolved to reject Akpabio at the polls, describing the statement as misleading. He gave assurance that Akpabio would secure more than 95% votes from Anam. He said that Oruk-Anam people cannot afford to disappoint Akpabio when they recall the ultramodern Town Hall he constructed as commissioner, the electrification project as well as the inter-ministerial projects as governor, stating that Oruk-Anam people would reciprocate by voting massively for Akpabio.

Engineer Aniekan said that they have set up a door to door team to continue to remind mothers, fathers, brothers and friends of what Akpabio stands for which is the broom and the need to vote for him as the man who holds the aces for the emancipation of the people.

House of Representatives candidate, Obong Freedom Ibritam who hails from Ukanafun lauded Akpabio for the good roads he constructed, which according to him, has taken away the reproach he suffered when his father died many years ago and his guests could not find a road to his village, noting that Akpabio came and constructed roads and took away the shame. He urged the people of Anam to vote massively for Akpabio and himself.

The elated Akpabio thanked the people for the solidarity and show of support, stating that since he engages in politics of development and politics of turning boys into men, the people of Anam should be assured that soon the wave of those realities would be their portion. He observed that even though those he earlier turned from boys to men may not be with them, they had to move for others to take their turns. Atuekong Don Etiebet leads the orchestra of “Abak-5 turn” and yet in his ward in Oruk, his people are not with him on this divisive and cleavage prone option. If the resolve which he speaks about with a strange note of finality seems to lack acceptability in the elder statesman’s domain, where then would it enjoy implementation. It seems to be a political pipe dream that is dead on delivery.

Iniodu, a political affairs analyst, attended the event

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