I’ve The Capacity And Political Will To Stop Akpabio From Imposing His Stooge On A/Ibom – Ambassador

As the race to succeed Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State gathers momentum, Nigeria’s Ambassa­dor to Russia and the Belarus, Chief Assam Ekanem As­sam (SAN) has signified his intention to resign and contest the governorship election in 2015.

Assam, who stated this at the weekend while ad­dressing hundreds of his sup­porters from the 31 local gov­ernment areas of the state at his country home in Idua, Eket LGA, stated that he would tender his letter of resignation to President Goodluck Jonathan by next month (August).

The aspirant vowed to stop Akpabio from imposing his stooge on the peo­ple of the state during the 2015 governorship election.

Assam, who denied the rumor that Presi­dent Jonathan had asked him to withdraw from the gover­norship race, boasted that he would go ahead and con­test and win the race for the Akwa Ibom State Government House.

According to him, his en­try into the governorship race would disrupt the succession plan of Gov. Akpabio whom he said was hell-bent on imposing his suc­cessor on the people of the state.

“I have the energy, capacity and political will to stop Ak­pabio from imposing his suc­cessor because I have always said; Akwa Ibom people are too republican for an outgoing governor to impose a governor on them”, he boasted.

The ambassador, who stressed that the only person he was contesting the governorship office with was Akpabio, added that the day the governor decides to play the role of a neutral observer, he would have no opposition on his way to the Hilltop Mansion, Uyo.

“I want to tell you all that the only person I will contest the governorship with is Akpa­bio and the day he withdraws from the race I will have no opposition. Akpabio is the only obstacle to a free and transparent party nomination and election but I am glad be­cause the Peoples Democratic Party has started the process of a free and fair nomination and election”, Assam said.

Assam promised to revital­ize and reposition education to international standards, local­ize the economy, industrialize the state, create jobs for the teeming unemployed people, fight corruption and stop capi­tal flight if voted in as gover­nor.