Revealed: Akpabio’s wife influenced Udom’s normination

The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Godswill Akpabio, has said that the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in the state, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, was discovered by his wife, Unoma.

Describing his wife as ‘Mother Theresa’ and a jewel during the PDP campaign inauguration in Uyo on Tuesday night, the governor commended his wife for her foresight in spotting Emmanuel.

He said, “Mother Theresa, Mkpouto Akwa Ibom; she is the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, who spotted Udom Emmanuel.”

The governor also said that nobody could become a governor of a state without the support of the incumbent governor.

He stated that he was successful because he was a part of former Governor Victor Attah’s succession plan.

Akpabio noted that a candidate could only emerge from a system if the incumbent governor supports him.

He added that it was Attah who encouraged him to be governor.

The governor revealed that the former governor of Akwa Ibom State had wanted him to be his deputy so that he could take over from him in 2007.

Akpabio revealed that the grouse of some of the 22 aggrieved PDP governorship aspirants in the state was that a sitting governor had never produced a successor in the state and that his case should not be an exception.

“It was the then governor that produced me. I was a commissioner for five and a half years. I stayed until it was time for me to resign like the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Udom Emmanuel, resigned. Attah gave me his blessings. I went with my wife. I gave him a drink. I said, sir, I am now coming out to contest for your position.”

The governor also stated that he asked the deputy governor of the state, Valerie Ebe, not to contest for the 2015 governorship election.

Punch, January 15, 2015

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