Group Urges Defeated A’ Ibom APC Guber Aspirants to Unite for Victory

A group, Transparency Watch, has urged aspirants who lost out in the recently concluded governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State to embrace the winner and collapse their structures into his structure to enable the party  clinch the governorship position in next year’s general election.

In a statement released by its spokesman, George Emmanuel, the group said that since a winner, Obong Akanimo  Udofia , had emerged during the governorship primaries,  the proper thing to do as democrats is to support him in the overall interest of the state.

The group said that by extending an olive branch to his co-aspirants despite winning the primary in a landslide,  the renowned businessman and philanthropist, Udofia, had demonstrated his recognition of the fact that winning the 2023 governorship election required unity of purpose within the Akwa Ibom APC family.

The group said: “The battle ahead is a tough one and since a winner has emerged, it is incumbent on all aspirants, including Senator Ita Enang, Senator Akpan Udoedehe and Professor Chris Ekong, who are all distinguished statesmen in their own right, to bury the hatchet and take the next step in kicking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) out of power in the state. “In a contest such as this, only one person can emerge winner and, what is more, those who have lost out today can emerge winners tomorrow.

“The 2023 governorship election is a contest with deep implications for the future of the Akwa Ibom people and all APC members must sheathe their swords at this time and work together as one body, particularly as Akwa Ibomites are looking towards the APC for succor, and to redeem the battered image of the state.

“We urge the contestants to show to Akwa Ibomites that they are ready to make the state APC-governed in 2023.

“ They should set up campaign committees to usher in a government of the people, a government that will bring transformation to the state.”