Afe Mkparawa Annang, Isong Annang endorse Akpabio for third term
By Benjamin Jimmy
Two prominent socio-cultural and political groups in Akwa Ibom – Afe Mkparawa Annang and Isong Annang, have endorsed the Senator representing Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, and the Chairman of the National Assembly, Godswill Akpabio, for a third term bid at the Senate.
The two groups have also warned any politician in the district who maybe nurturing ambitions for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District seat to forget such ambitions.
The groups, in a joint press conference before a rally, led by the National Presidents of Afe Mkparawa Annang, Amb. Uduak Akpan, and that of Isong Annang, Prince Mmendie Archibong, in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area on Thursday, said as socio-cultural and political voices with same ideological bent within the Annang extraction, time had come for them to jointly declare their stand on an important political affair in the district.
The two leaders, who said the groups arrived at the decision owing to their primary responsibility of serving as a bridge between the people and their representatives in the National and State Assemblies, as well as holding political office holders accountable, they were duty- bound to play these roles, by overtly supporting politicians whose achievements remain unparalleled.
The leaders therefore, asserted that, having followed particularly the achievements of Senator Akpabio in the last two years, both as their representative and President of the Nigerian Senate, it became imperative for them to applaud his achievements and also pledge unflinching support for a third term bid for him.
” In the last two years, we have taken an assessment of all political office holders within the Annang land. But for today, we have looked critically into the political journey of the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and his achievements since he resumed office. We are particularly delighted with his achievements as our dear father, brother and political mentor.
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” Among his achievements are the numerous appointments he has facilitated to Akwa Ibom people, starting from the appointments of Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo as Minister of Petroleum (Gas), Obong Saviour Enyiekere as Chairman, National Assembly Service Commission, and Chief Emmanuel Amama, Senior Special Assistant on Youth Development, Mrs. Usoro Akpabio, Managing Director, South-South Development Commission, Mr. Kufre Anima as member, South-East Development Commission, Mr. Uduak Udoudo, Senior Special Assistant on Protocol, among others”.
The groups said beyond the numerous appointments, effective representation and leadership, Senator Akpabio had also provided a lot of infrastructural developments across the senatorial district, all of which they said needed to be continued beyond 2027.
” In 2024, constituency projects worth about N4.342 billion were allocated to the North-northwest Senatorial District, presented by Senator Akpabio in the 2014 budget.
” In May this year, President of the Senate successfully concluded another phase of empowerment programme, including 30 mini-buses, 67 tricycles, 50 cassava processing machines, 367 deep freezers, 247 generating sets, truckloads of 50kg bag of rice, over 102 million cash grants, scholarships, among others”.
