2010 Will Be A Year Of Blackmail- Gov. Akpabio

As the 2011 general election gathers momentum in Akwa Ibom State, and the battle for who will be the number one citizen of the state thickens, the incumbent state governor, chief Godswill Akpbio has said that considering the many influential forces that he will contend with to get his second term ambition, the year 2010 will be a year of blackmail, kidnapping, and killing in the state in an effort to undermine his administration and stop him.

The governor made this known to journalists in Uyo recently at the media interaction and called on all Akwa Ibom persons to be security conscious in the state, and join him in the fight against insecurity.

The governor who did not hide his feelings has named some top politicians in the state who are planning to cause mayhem and frame-up charges against the state government.

He mentioned the former minister of State FCT and an ex-senator representing Uyo senatorial district, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, as being one of the persons behind kidnappings and related problems in the State.

He said John Akpanudoedehe is also one of the contenders for the 2011 guber election, and added that he (Akpanudoedehe) and other top politicians in the state have conspired to destabilize the state and make it difficult for him (Godswill Akpabio) to get his second term ambition.
It can be recalled that immediately after the abduction of the (Rtd) Major General, Edet Akpan, the forum of concerned leaders of Ibibio people issued a communiqué carpeting the governor on the deteriorating security situation in the state, which the state governor said was the handiwork of the opposition to make the presidency declare a state of emergency in Akwa Ibom.

It could be noted that the governor was mad about the communiqué, and used the recent press briefing to describe the former governor of the state, Obong Victor Attah as somebody “who has fallen from the throne of honour to that of embarrassment”.

He said as a former governor, Attah should be an elder statesman, and should be an asset to the present administration rather than resorting to ethnic politics.

Jonathan: Gov. Akpabio Commends National Assembly

The State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio has commended the National Assembly for Empowering the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President pending when the ailing President Yar'Adua will recover and come back to complete his tenure in office.

The governor made the commendation recently in Uyo while exchanging views with newsmen on the significance of making the Vice President Jonathan to act for President Umar Musa Yar'Adua.

The governor said that Akwa Ibom people must thank God for the peaceful resolution of the politically disturbing situation in Nigeria and the way God has guided every person to make contributions, from NGOs, civil society organizations, Nigerian public, members of the National Assembly and the Nigerian Governors' Forum. He added that today, Nigerians have had an acting president who is taking full control of the affairs of government, and called on all citizens of the country to continue praying for the ailing President Yar'Adua to recover soon, and also pray for the acting president so that his policies will move the country forward.

The governor explained that the process was a very peaceful resolution, saying that even the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the European Union and the Americans commended Nigeria on the fact that since independence in 1960, this was one of the very few occasions that Nigerians were able to resolve a constitutional crises through a very peaceful means, saying that it is highly commendable.