Governor Akpabio Initiates Moves To Return To Presidency’s Good Grace, Enlists Chief Edwin Clark’s Help

-pens pledge of loyalty and promise of better behaviour letter

Mr Godswill Akpabio, the Governor of Akwa Ibom state has initiated a rash of passionate peace overtures.

He wants to arrest slipping rapport with President Goodluck Jonathan and return to his good grace.

And he is tagged ‘very desperate about achieving’ this objective on the heels of growing reports of ‘open disrespect’ to President Jonathan at official and social functions.

Insiders disclose Akpabio has enlisted the help of rabid supporter President Jonathan and elder states man, Chief Edwin Clark to achieve his aim.

The passionate pro presidency campaigner is widely believed an intimate member of the President Jonathan’s team, with very little he is unable to sway the President on.

Mr Akpabio had caught Chief Clarks attention with an emotional laden plea letter pledging undying loyalty and promise to turn a new leaf on all past in fractions.

Like other key members of the presidential team, Chief Clark had earlier snubbed Akpabio following restrictions of his (the governor’s) movement at the Presidential villa – and later ‘informal ban’ for behavioural misconduct.

The plea laden letter of pledge of loyalty and better behaviour reportedly paved way for giving Akpabio audience.

The move is said to have kick started a process expected to result in ‘forgiving Akpabio’ by President Jonathan.

Findings revealed Akpabio the immediate cause of Akpabio’s hurried rash of peace overtures as a public catalogue of a series of ‘open disrespect’ to President Jonathan.

Information trace the development to the action of three individuals Aniekan Ukut, Victor Usenekong and Ifreke Mbang, who are Akwa Ibom indigenes and trustees of Citizens Arise, an Abuja-based advocacy group that focuses on corruption, impunity and bad governance.

n a full page advertorial published on page 46 of The Nation newspaper of Wednesday, March 5, 2014, the Citizens Arise trustees listed a catalogue of inappropriate conducts by the governor, noting that they felt deeply scandalised by the many disrespectful conducts of Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio towards the President of the Federal Republic Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele.
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“On Saturday, 8th February, President Jonathan was in Sokoto to formally welcome back the former governor and leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, to the PDP at a colourful and well attended rally at the Shehu Kangiwa Square. Two hours after the event had started, Gov. Akpabio sauntered in. He went straight up to the podium where Gov. Liyel Imoke was making a speech on behalf of the governors, grabbed the microphone from him and started talking,” the group alleged.

“Älthough his lateness to the event was a breach of protocol and disrespect to the president, Akpabio offered no apologies other than to blame his tardiness on the president himself”.

‪Another instance of this very reprehensible conduct by Mr. Akpabio, according to the group, was the award night for the 100 persons who were honoured by the President as part of the event to mark the nation’s centenary.

The group alleged that the event, which had former presidents and heads of state, foreign and Nigerian dignitaries in attendance, was progressing well and President Jonathan was at the podium giving out awards when Akpabio waltzed into the hall, again in utter breach of protocol and disrespect to the president and other dignitaries.

“We noticed that the governor was inappropriately dressed in a black suit and shirt without a tie. As soon as Akpabio arrived, instead of taking his seat at the back, he moved from table to table, kneeling down to talk to dignitaries, notably the First lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan, Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Muhammadu Buhari, thus creating distractions to other guests.”
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The trio concluded the advertorial by apoloigising to Mr. President for the errant behaviour of the governor. “He does not reflect the true character of an Akwa Ibom man which include honesty, respectfulness, humbleness and sincerity,” they said.

‪Fearing for the backlash of such an open confrontation of his misconducts, sources disclose Akpabio did not only attend the Ilorin and Minna rallies on time but also shared in the attires worn by the President and other dignitaries at the occasion, a clear departure from the errant behaviour at the Owerri when Akpabio had turned up late and in a different attire from what the dignitaries wore.