Frontline aspirant for the Akwa Ibom State governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, has denied media reports of his defection to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Senator Akpanudoedehe also flayed reports of his having accepted offers to work for the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Deacon Udom Emmanuel.
He described the rumours as malicious; and aimed at discrediting his integrity as an ardent believer in President Muhammadu Buhari; and as a founding member of the APC in Akwa Ibom State.
The Senator, in a terse statement released by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ata Etuk, said the campaign of calumny against Senator Akpanudoedehe is being peddled to obscure the pertinence of his protest against the sham Governorship Primary in the State.
The statement reads: “There are rumors making the rounds to the effect that Distinguished Senator John James Akpanudoedehe has defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC); and/or has been offered a political appointment in another political Party.
“This notice is to dissuade the general public from believing this tissue of lies, or any other publications issued within the same context, with the intent to insult the sensibilities of the general public by deliberately misleading them.
“Senator Akpanudoedehe remains a loyal member of the APC; and Member of its Board of Trustees.
“Senator Akpanudoedehe has currently submitted the relevant petitions against the conduct of the Party Primaries, and is following every due process prescribed for the registration of discontent”.
“It should be noted that the people behind the fabrications against Senator Akpanudoedehe are the same people who have always told lies, and spread falsehoods about him, with the motive of shredding his support base; and impugning his reputation and credibility.
“The representations of these dishonest and disreputable characters should therefore be dismissed without a second thought, as these people subsist on Lies, Blackmail, and Deceit, for a means of livelihood.
“Senator Akpanudoedehe remains firm and certain of Justice prevailing in the end, and urges all his loyal supporters to remain steadfast and trust in the God of Justice.”
By this, it becomes crystal-clear that those behind the false and malicious rumors are the same people who have always spun lies against Senator Akpanudoedehe to tarnish his reputation for cheap political gains.
They are the same people who lied that he fought as a Minister; sold out after the 2011 elections; compromised his Party’s chances in the 2015 elections, and so many other false allegations.
These same people, it should be noted, never supported President Buhari at any point in time before 2015, but yet benefitted immensely from his magnanimity.
It’s about time people begin to see beyond the deceit and blackmail spewed out against Senator Akpanudoedehe, because he is just the target of a clique of political opponents without any sense of honesty, truth or decency.
It’s about time people refuse to be led astray any further by lies, and come to the conclusion that one can fool them for a while; but that they should not allow themselves to be fooled for too long, or all of the time.
