Former Edo State Commissioner for Information, Kassim Afegbua, has said Senator Godswill Akpabio is still in the race for the Senate presidency and has no plan to drop out.
Afegbua made this known in a statement on Monday to debunk rumours that Akpabio is considering an exit from the race to settle for a “juicy ministerial appointment.”
Afegbua further noted that Akpabio had been confirmed as the frontline candidate in the contest for the leadership of the 10th Senate presently going on in the All Progressives Congress.
He said, “There is no truth in the rumours that Senator Godswill Akpabio is considering abandoning his quest to emerge as the next Senate President of the country. The public should disregard any such report as it is merely an act of mischief by those who are developing cold feet, having seen the handwriting on the wall that they are going to lose the race to Senator Godswill Akpabio.
“To put it in clear and unambiguous terms, Godswill Obot Akpabio, remains the man to beat and has not, and will not by any stroke of imagination step down from this aspiration. He remains the best man for the job, both for the south-south geopolitical zone and Nigeria at large.”
The former commissioner also noted that it was impossible for a candidate in the frontline position to be thinking about exiting the race at this stage.
Afegbua added, “All the odds favour Senator Godswill Akpabio. He is a proven administrator and his origins and faith mean that his emergence provides the APC and Tinubu-Presidency the best opportunity to achieve a balanced and inclusive government.
“Before stepping out to seek the leadership of the 10th Assembly, Senator Godswill Akpabio had consulted far and wide, reaching out to different segments of the Nigerian populace.
“The positive feedback he got propelled him to seek this exalted office. He also consulted with the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the Vice-President-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima, and several other Senators-Elect, stakeholders, party executives, opinion moulders and ordinary Nigerians, who all gave him the nod to seek the office.”
He added, “Given his soaring popularity, and seeing that his aspiration has elicited a lot of support from the relevant stakeholders, mischief makers who cannot match his popularity and acceptance, decided to throw up this spin to distract distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio.
“To state the fact, Senator Godswill Akpabio’s eyes are focused on the ball. As a thoroughbred and consummate politician who understands the dynamics of our political emanations, he will not disappoint those who have given him the mandate to seek the 10th Assembly leadership.
“This is a message accepted by the majority of his colleagues in the National Assembly, as well as the leadership of the party. They know the role Senator Akpabio played in the party’s victory in the last election, having delivered unprecedented figures from the South-South region, and they understand the importance of rewarding such a feat to promote party loyalty.”
“He is in the race and in a commanding position,” he concluded.