The leadership tussle that arose after the State Congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State has ended.
The tussle ended on Saturday with members of the former APC state executive led by Dr Effiong Etok, the former state secretary and two former senatorial chairmen, Obong Kufre Inyangette and Obong Uko Umoh, announcing the withdrawal of their court case against the APC state chairman, Hon Ini Okopido, and other members of his executive.
Dr Effiong Etok, the former state secretary, spoke on behalf of the former executive and said they refused to join Dr Udoma Ekarika, the man they supported to be state chairman, when he defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday because of their love for APC and intervention of former Governor Godswill Akpabio.
“We have to move forward,” Etok said.
Chief Don Etiebet, the Chairman of APC state caucus, thanked Etok and other members of the old executive for allowing peace to reign.
“We have all sank our differences. All the leaders of the party have resolved to work together. Whatever were our misgivings, we believe what God said that you must love your neighbour as you love yourself. We are forgiving ourselves and we are working together for one purpose. This is the new APC moving forward.”
Senator Godswill Akpabio also thanked the members of the former executive for agreeing to withdraw their court case against the state congress that produced the present executive.
The former Senate Minority Leader said he intervened in the case because he did not want the party to be bogged down by legal tussle as it prepared for the 2019 elections.
Akpabio thanked Obong Nsima Ekere, Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), for strongly backing and enabling the reconciliation process.
