BY DAMOLA EMMANUEL
The historic city of Ikot Ekpene, also known as The Raffia City, was completely locked down, Wednesday, by a massive crowd that converged on it to witness the formal crossing of former two-term Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Obot Akpabio, now Senator representing Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District, from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
The town was virtually paralysed by the huge influx of people that had thronged it to witness the political epoch. There was traffic gridlock in all major streets especially those in the precinct of the venue, Ikot Ekpene Township Stadium
It was a carnival of music and colours at the stadium as speaker after speaker took the podium on the elevated stage to express their excitement on the “home-coming” of Akpabio, who, Sen. Ahmed Lawan, the Senate Majority Leader, said had always been “one of us”.
One of the comperes at the mega rally was Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, who almost screamed herself hoarse introducing APC bigwigs at the event.
They include: the national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Ahmed Lawan, former Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation who represented President Muhammadu Buhari currently on vacation in London, and Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister for Information and Culture.
Others are Senators Udo Udoma, Hilliard Eta, Iniobong Okopido, Nisma Ekere, Don Etim, John Eno, Ali Makana, Mohammed Sanni, Abdulahi Yahaya, Abdulahi Gumel, Uche Ndu, Magnus Abe, Kabiru Gaya and Ali Ndume.
In all, at least 30 senators of the ruling party and members of its National Working Committee, NWC, graced the mega rally to receive Akpabio who resigned, on Tuesday, as Senate Minority Leader.
Lawan described the former Akwa Ibom Governor as a “nationalist and patriot” who not only believes in the unity and corporate existence of Nigeria but also works assiduously to sustain same.
“This defection,” Lawan continued, “surpasses all other defections. This is a defection that has shaken the opposition Peoples Democratic Party. They followed Akpabio everywhere to prevent him from defecting but he ignored them.”
Akpabio, 55, who danced his heart out at the event, excited the massive crowd as he took the podium, declaring that he crossed to the ruling party as part of a collective to save Nigeria.
“The country is at war,” he declared, “and all hands must be on deck to salvage the situation and not to aggravate it.
“As keepers of national emergency, everyone should put heads together. I decided to join to emancipate the people and provide succour for the people.”
A lawyer-turned-politician, Senator Akpabio, was two-term Governor of Akwa Ibom State. He ruled from May 29, 2007 to May 29, 2015.
Prior to emergence as Governor, he had, between 2002 and 2006, served as Commissioner in three key ministries in the administration of Governor Obong Victor Attah, namely: Petroleum and Natural Resources, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, as well as Lands and Housing.
