The former Senate Minority leader and Senator representing Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, Senator Godswill Akpabio says his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was not necessarily to win but to participate in national politics.
He said his defection does not affect his support to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Udom Emmanuel, who he had repeatedly admitted as a performer.
The Senator, speaking on ChannelsTv programme, “Politics Today” shortly after his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), emphasized that the Governor still remains the godfather of his children and his dear brother.
“For me, I dont have any issue with the performance of His Excellency Mr.Udom Emmanuel, he still remains my good brother and godfather to my children.”
Akpabio admitted that Nigeria under Buhari was experiencing “so much security challenges, so much hunger in the land, so much unemployment and needless killings,” but said the solution was for everyone to support the president in the interest of the country.
On what will be his reaction if his new party fails in the next elections, the defector said he was not really bothered on whether his party wins or not.
“It is not important to me whether we win elections or not but the most important thing is for me to participate in it.”
He described Nigerians who always go to the polls with the mentality of winning as election riggers who will stop at nothing until their goals had been achieved.
“The problem with Nigerians is their always thinking of winning. It is not about winning elections but participation. As far as I am concerned, anyone who goes into elections with the view of winning is someone who must get it at all means,” he stated.
He also faulted the PDP for failing in its reward system, maintaining that the party ought not to have accorded prominence to Senator Saraki and others who returned to the fold, after their defection in 2015, cost the party victory in the general elections.
