…YOU CAN’T BRING YOUR APC CAMPAIGN TO CHURCH – ARCHBISHOP UKO
…YOU CAN’T STOP ME AND MY WIFE WHILE I’M ALIVE – AKPABIO FUMES
Condemnations have trailed the shabby behaviour of former governor Godswill Akpabio at a church function Sunday in Ukana, Essien Udim local government area of Akwa Ibom State.
At a service to present Sir Etekamba Umoren as the diocesan lay President of the Methodist Church Nigeria,Diocese of Essien Udim, Senator Akpabio and his wife Unoma threw caution to the wind, and turn the Church into an APC campaign arena to the utter disappointment of the Church leaders and worshippers.
It all began when the outgoing Lay President, Sir Sunyiekekere Inokon made his valedictory speech and failed to superlatively recognise the APC political class that included Mr Nsima Ekere, Amadu Attai, Mrs Unoma Akpabio, Mr. Bassey Etim, and other APC Chieftains in the state.
This infuriated the APC governorship candidate who stormed out of the meeting while Mr. Inokon, the PDP state deputy chairman was still on the floor.
However, when Mr. Etekamba Umoren, took over the microphone, he invited Mrs Unoma Akpabio to come and greet the church, and there, all hell was let loose.
Mrs Akpabio who quickly put on a political campaign fez cap on her head gear, started singing APC songs and chanted APC Slogans in the church to the consternation of the Church clerics who had expected the sanctity of the Church to be maintained.
Referring to Sir Emem Akpabio the archdiocesan Lay President, Mrs Akpabio said, “why not leave that sinking PDP, and join us in APC so we can make you happy. We need you and Prince Ukpong Akpabio so that our family will be complete in APC,” she said.
When Archbishop Sunday Uko asked her to cease from campaigning in the church, Mrs Akpabio bluntly told him that he had no right to stop her as she was going to speak for as long as she wished.
Twenty minutes later, Senator Godswill Akpabio arrived and was ushered to the lectern by his wife, and he took out time to lampoon the archbishop for supporting PDP.
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Frantic efforts by the two archbishops, including the archbishop of Okigwe, Most Rev. Ene Koko Bassey fell on deaf ears as Akpabio and his wife took time to cast aspersions on Governor Udom Emmanuel while supporting Nsima Ekere.
Akpabio said it was wrong for the Archbishop to stop his wife from talking politics in church, saying that the reason why the clergy embarrassed his wife was because he was supporting Governor Udom Emmanuel.
“Not while I am alive, you can’t embarrass my wife for talking politics in church because of your support for Governor Udom Emmanuel. I brought Udom and made him governor so nobody can claim to love the son more than the father, the Senator warned.
“Let the church and its members steer clear from dirty politics. Our APC governorship candidate, Nsima Ekere came here, yet the church did not recognize him. I want to tell you that he is the next governor of this state.”
This infuriated the diocesan Archbishop Uko, who stormed out of the Church, apparently disappointed with the former Governor’s disrespect and open attack on his person.
But Akpabio remained unshaken, “How can you ask my wife not to talk about APC, and politics. Let me tell you there is no church without politics. Without politics this church will not be the way it is now.”
“When I was governor, I help to ensure that Methodist Church established more dioceses in the State, and I gave each diocese N5m.
“Without politics, there would be no road to this church. Where we are sitting was produced by politics. My late uncle used to worship in this church but since the advent of politics, this area and even the church has witnessed a lot of transformation.”
The Senator who returned to his seat after an initial announcement of One million naira to the church, returned to the drag the microphone from the Church pastor who was on the verge of saying the last prayers to end a dramatic day.
“I know One million is not like me, but I am not very happy that is why. You see today is my birthday and from 12 midnight many Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governors and chieftains had sent me birthday messages, I have gone through all the national and local newspapers, yet Akwa Ibom government has not wished me a happy birthday as a one-time governor of Akwa Ibom,” Senator Godswill Akpabio cried.
He increased his donation to N5m, telling the church, “I brought Udom and made him governor so nobody can claim to love the son more than the father.”
Many people who took to the social media condemned the former minority leader for his irate behaviour, describing it as a transfer of ‘Warsaw’ his favourite war cry to church.
