By Ken Chiwendu
A retired Deputy Inspector General of Police ( DIG), Udom Ekpoudom has debunked reports of agreeing to step down for Senator Akpabio ,a former governor of Akwa Ibom State for the Akwa Ibom North – West Senatorial seat on the platform of All Progressives Congress APC.
Recall that Akpabio had jettisoned his bid for a senatorial seat in his state for the presidency.
However, his poor performance at the presidential primaries in June 2022 made him to attempt to get his senatorial ticket back but to no avail as his challenger, Ekpoudom blocked all roads for the erstwhile Akwa Ibom super man to claim the ticket.
Ekpoudom, however, admitted that there has been pressure on him to reverse his decision and make way for Senator Akpabio but said stepping down for Akpabio would mean further denying his constituency the right to produce a senatorr saying that after 16 years of producing senators,it was proper for it to move from Ikot Ekpene to other areas .
!“It is laughable to say that I stepped down for anyone, some people have been appealing to me to step down but I have been saying no, and will continue to say no because it is not my project precisely but the peoples’ project. I don’t want to be chased away from Abak Federal Constituency. “I don’t want to betray my people, you can even imagine now, for 16 years this part of Akwa Ibom has not produced a senator, it is only Ikot Ekpene which had produced five senators and somebody wants to come in again, it is not possible. Abak-5 is ready or the whole Ikot Ekpene senatorial district is ready. I look at those coming to tell me to step down as enemies of the Abak Federal Constituency.
He reiterated his stand on not relinquishing his ticket saying his loyalty belongs to the people and no amount of pressure or offers can make him to do so. “Even if they want to offer me the head of state, I won’t accept it. All I want is to get what belongs to us. If Abak loses now, it would affect the whole federal constituency and senatorial district “.
The ex- DIG described Akpabio as a desperate politician who has refused to accept his fate .
