Retired Inspector General of Police, DIG, Udom Ekpoudom, has explained why he is supporting Senator Godswill Akpabio as the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate for Akwa Ibom North West senatorial district seat.
He said he is supporting Akpabio because they are in the same party, APC.
Ekpoudom stressed that he has no option than to support Akpabio to win the senatorial election, adding that doing otherwise would have amounted to anti party activity.
He stated this yesterday while fielding questions from newsmen in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
“What I have done now by declaring my support for Senator Akpabio has not contradicted my earlier stance. My earlier stance was that as long as the case was in case, I cannot withdraw my case.
“But now the case has finished in court, the supreme Court is the highest court of the land. I have two options either to support him (Akpabio) or support another person.
” I am supporting Akpabio because he is from my party the APC. I cannot leave my party and go to support another person in another party, that is anti party,” he said.
The ex- Police Chief who lost out to Akpabio at the Supreme Court judgement for the senate seat, however blasted the chieftain of his party, and a former Minister of Petroleum, Chief Don Etiebet for leading others to endorse a candidate of a rival party.
He stressed: ” He (Etiebet) did not consult me. He just called and said that they wanted to have a meeting of Abak-5 stakeholders. I walked out when I discovered that it was to endorse Enoidem of PDP. It was a big insult.
“I am from Abak-5 and when they said they wanted to adopt Enoidem I asked, is that the way to behave?; that I have been told that you have been having other meetings before, but you never invited me or carried me along only for you to invite me for this?. I walked out because I knew they were doing unlawful thing”.
Responding to a question on whether Akpabio has greased his palm, he said: “I’m not rich but at the same time I am not a poor man. I am contented with what God has blessed me with .I spent a lot of money in court, from Federal High Court to Appeal Court and then to Supreme Court, Godswill has never given me a dime”.
According to a statement made available to newsmen yesterday, Ekpoudom had while addressing newsmen after a closed door meeting with Akpabio in his Uyo residence on Monday refuted insinuations he planned to decamp to another party.
“I am going no where. I will campaign for the victory of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Akan Udofia and all other members of the party. I will not deviate from the principles of the party”, Ekpoudom said.
On his part Akpabio had said: ” I am here today, because immediately after the supreme judgement that declared me the candidate, I made a decision that his house would be the first private residence I will visit and that is why I am here.
“He is not just an elder brother to me, but he happens to be a brother from the same kindred whom I am always pleased with. In what I may regard then as a factional disagreement in the APC, we ended up in court not because we’re quarrelling.
“Even before the Supreme Court judgement, we have been trying to make peace but we both agreed that we allow the court to decide after which we would work together for the success of our party. He remains my brother. He is a man who does not forget small favours.
“He believes in transformation and development. He is not selfish. It is not a relationship that is borne out of politics but of mutual respects and we will not allow politics to divide us”