At the heat of the 2015 elections, if a soothsayer had predicted that; Governor Emmanuel Udom and his erstwhile benefactor Senator Godswill Akpabio would fall apart; then that was going to be the biggest joke of the century. As the popular axiom which states that; ‘In politics, no permanent friend, no permanent enemy”, this word captures the current situation playing out between former Governor of Akwa Ibom, Senator Godswill Akpabio and incumbent Governor Emmanuel Udom. As we speak, they both don’t see eyes to eyes. The bad blood between them has reached it’s crescendo, to the extent that, it led to Senator Akpabio’s defection to the ruling All Progressive Congress APC.
The genesis of their rift could be traced back to when Governor Udom was sworn in as the Governor of Akwa ibom state. His former boss and benefactor, Senator Godswill, was constantly meddling into the affairs of the state. Senator Akpabio was stylishly running a third term in proxy through Emmanuel Udom. The former senate minority leader, was said to have influenced Governor Udom’s choice and style of governance. He also appointed commissioners and Senior Special advisers for Governor Udom.
Governor Udom kept calm, not until, he was being rendered useless by people in his government. Governor Udom went ahead to sack all members of his cabinet who were imposed by Senator Godswill. Senator Akpabio and his cohorts was already hijacking Udom’s government. Senator Godswill frowned at Governor Udom’s actions, promising to withdraw his support for him on his bid to return to office in 2019 and tagged him a disloyal traitor.
According to a close source who divulged that; ‘Senator Akpabio is planning to support one of his inlaw against Governor Udom in 2019. When Governor Udom saw that, Senator Akpabio was withdrawing his support for him, he was said to have been in an underground talk with some Akwa ibom APC chieftain for the process and negotiation of his defection, so as to enable him clinch the party’s ticket to run once more under the APC imprint as Governor, since Senator Akpabio has a strong hold on the PDP. Senator Godswill in his bid to cripple Udom’s dream of returning once more as Governor, When he heard about Udom’s secret defection plans, he quickly defected to the ruling APC leaving Governor Udom in the cold.
A close source allegedly disclosed one of the reasons that further deepened their rift, He said; ‘Governor Udom has refused to disclose the state’s debt portfolio, hiding under that to misappropriate the state’s fund. He also released information to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC. This was why the state’s account was frozen by EFCC.’
