Akpabio, who spoke in response to the position of the people of Oruk Anam dissociating themselves from the position of one of their leaders and a chieftain of the PDP, Chief Don Etiebet, who backed the opposition All Progressives Congress for the general election, said it was disappointing that someone of Etiebet’s status could betray the PDP.
The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Barrister Godswill Akpabio, has said betrayal by some members of the Peoples Democratic Party, the platform on which President Goodluck Jonathan sought election, was responsible for the President’s loss.
Akpabio spoke on Friday when the people of Oruk Anam in Akwa Ibom State visited him in the Government House, Uyo.
Akpabio, who spoke in response to the position of the people of Oruk Anam dissociating themselves from the position of one of their leaders and a chieftain of the PDP, Chief Don Etiebet, who backed the opposition All Progressives Congress for the general election, said it was disappointing that someone of Etiebet’s status could betray the PDP.
He said it was the behaviour of people like Etiebet that cost Jonathan the presidential election.
Governor Akpabio, who thanked the people for the courtesy visit and urged Oruk Anam people to rise above Etiebet to enable the area to develop, added: “A leader’s word must be his bond.
“At 60, a leader should not tell lies as some of our leaders are doing.”
He said it was the treachery and betrayal among PDP members that led to the loss of the PDP, describing it as unfortunate and confusing.
He wondered how Etiebet would go round declaring support for APC as a member of the Board of Trustees of the PDP.
He said it was strange of somebody of Etiebet’s status going round to declare: “I am founding member of PDP and BoT member.
“My APC went around local government areas and discovered there were no elections.”
The people of Oruk Anam disassociated themselves from the purported actions and statements of Etiebet in the media that there were no governorship/state House Assembly elections in the state.
The leader of the delegation, Udo Kirian Akpan, hinted that in Ikot Ibritam, home town of Chief Etiebet, there are three voting units – Ikot Ekpuk 1, 2, 3 – in which Chief Etiebet voted for All Progressives Congress and lost in one of the units, while the PDP won in the remaining two polling units.
Akpan, who is also a Deputy Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, condemned the utterances of Etiebet.
Akpan, however, warned the people to disregard such statements made by one of the prominent sons of the area, saying: “We are not happy with Etiebet.
“He should understand that the times and game have changed.”
The deputy speaker, who commended Akpabio for providing level playing ground for all the political parties during the elections, pledged their readiness to key into the programmes of the next administration in the state, calling on Governor Akpabio to appoint a Permanent Secretary and complete the ongoing road project in the area.
Speaking for Oruk Anam elders, Sir Vitalis Unang debunked the purported media statements by Chief Etiebet and described him as a masquerade dancing in the market square while attracting the public keeps on taunting it.
Unang, who called on Etiebet to desist from tarnishing his image and that of the local government area through unwarranted and unguarded utterances concerning the elections he participated, pledged their support and loyalty to the Akpabio administration.
While congratulating the Governor-elect, Deacon Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, he appealed to him as their in-law to carry them along as they voted massively for him during the governorship election.
Emmanuel thanked the people of Oruk Anam for voting massively for him in the gubernatorial polls and promised to live up to his electioneering promises.
