*dispels defection rumours
By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
One of the leading 2023 governorship aspirants in Akwa Ibom State, Senator Albert Bassey Akpan, has described himself as “The last man standing” in the race to the Hilltop Mansion.
Addressing some of his teeming supporters in Uyo on Friday May 14, 2023, Senator Akpan popularly known as OBA said that despite sponsored blackmails, intimidations and negative propaganda, against him, he remains resolute and focused towards the goal.
He assured them that on May 23, 2022, he would win the governorship primary, saying: “We are in this race to win and God is leading us to win”.
Recalling that in 2019, Governor Udom Emmanuel nicknamed him: “OBA, the last man standing” for staying back in PDP, when all other Akwa Ibom Senators decamped, he affirmed: “I am still the last man standing!”
The Senator debunked insinuations that he will defect from PDP, wondering why he should do that when he remains the most popular and accepted aspirant in the party.
OBA assured his supporters that he will hit the ground running as their next governor. “I will start working from the first day”, he said.
He encouraged them to remain steadfast, committed and resolute and not to be deterred by sponsored intimidations or swayed by propaganda.
Earlier, Dr Usoro Usoro, the spokesman of his campaign organisation, Akwa UbokAbasi Campaign Organisation, described the rumour as an untrue information, cooked by rumour mill in the state to deceive delegates and steal attention.
It would be recalled recently, the rumour making the rounds in the state was that Senator Akpan (OBA) was planning to decamp from PDP to YPP, and was negotiating to buy nomination form of the party.
But Dr Usoro said news of OBA’s defection was cooked by those who are afraid of his popularity and decided to employ the ignoble means of falsehood to mislead the delegates
The spokesman assured that OBA was not just firmly in PDP, but is contesting the governorship primary to win.
“My Principal, Senator OBA has not decamped to any other party. He remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and will contest the forthcoming PDP Governorship primaries on May 23, 2022 and, he will win. Let me say this again for emphasis, OBA is not going anywhere else,” the Spokesman stated.
According to him, Senator OBA has become a prayer-point and a major item of discussion, even among some government officials, because evil-minded persons are scared that as governor, he will demystify governance as well as improve upon records.
Dr Usoro said OBA’s track record has shown that he has something to offer to the people when he becomes the governor, wondering why some people would waste resources sponsoring falsehood against the senator, if they were not threatened by the latter’s capacity.
He described OBA as a loyal and faithful partyman, charging the delegates to disregard the fake news making the arounds and remain focus, committed and resolute in their decision to support OBA as the best man for the hilltop job.
He then challenged the opponents to “convince the delegates based on their pedigree and experience, rather than employing falsehood, blackmail, negative propaganda all in their desperate effort to confuse the delegates”.
Some of OBA’s laudable projects that have won him much admiration and support include human capital development as well as the unparalleled feat of sponsoring over 481 university students on his scholarship scheme.
