Akpabio's Uncommon Defection

The gale of defections that gripped the Nationa Assembly recently, reached another level with the decision of the former minority leader of the Senate Sen. Godswill Akpobio to resign his position as the leader of the minority. His resignation was followed by the confirmation of the rumour that he is defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party to pitch tent with the ruling All Progressives Congress APC.

The fact that the former two term governor of Akwa Ibom state decided to dump the party which gave him the opportunity of becoming a  political personality in the country should be considered his political right no matter what but one thing that continues to baffle Nigerians is the way and manner he has gone about the whole issue.

First and foremost if there is one single individual that has benefited from the former ruling party in the country, Sen. Akpabio will count as one of such. Commissioner in charge of various ministries for eight years not to talk of being in charge of the influential Ministry of Chieftaincy and Local government. He also controversially won the governorship election  due to the political manipulations of former President Olusegun Obasanjo who out of his quarrel with then governor Victor Attah and in connivance with then Secretary to the Federal Government Chief Ufot Ekaette foisted him on the party and sold him to the people of the state that naturally tilted to the PDP. Sen. Godswill Akpabio also got an uncommon blessing with the decision of the PDP to make him the leader of the minority despite the fact that there were ranking Senators above him from the South South region that the position was zoned to.

This is not to bring into view the decision of majority members of the PDP to support his gubernatorial candidate whom today he has decided to abandon and to fight for his removal.

Former governor and minority leader Godswill Akpabio has benefited so much from the Peoples Democratic Party  PDP and his jumping ship at this period of politicking that is giving the opposition PDP some sense of hope will surely be counted for him as the height of an uncommon betrayer. The fact of the matter is that the governor who so much lampooned President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress APC in the count down to the 2015 general elections has today swallowed his regurgitation for fear of what many consider a peep into his ugly dealings as governor of the state by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC is to show that the ex governor is a coward and an irresponsible leader who has no credibility to protect. The ruling party has gone wild with the way they received him into the party. Sen. Ahmed Lawal who spoke on behalf of the Senators that welcomed him to their fold said the defection of Akpabio who left with virtually no single Senator from his state or the South South geopolitical zone as he boasted prior to his defection was more than the defection of the Senate President and 16 others that crossed carpet few days to his defection. When I read what the Yobe born Senator said, I wondered if it was a case of self consolation or egotism.

Sen. Saraki left with his governor, all the Senators, House of Reps members, all Assembly members, Commissioners, Local government Chairmen as well as Councillors and tens of thousands of APC members yet the Majority(?) leader of the Senate says it beclouds that of others that decamped with a huge contingent? Hmm what a sordid way for self pity.

The decision of Sen. Godswill Akpabio will forever remain one of his worst political calculations which he has made in the past twenty years of his political life. Aside the fact that he has lost all forms of credibility or pity that may come his way when his current brides realise that he has lost a huge chunk of  his followership and has become a political liability than asset that they think he is decides, to use him as a cape goat and brings on the EFCC to probe him to create effect, nobody will be there for him and I pity for what will become of him.

Soon Akpabio will realise he has become a political leper in the state and Niger Delta region despite his narcissism. He will never make it back to the Senate and will wallow in the wilderness of  the forgotten. This is what makes his defection uncommon and unlike other politicians who fell and rose in politics, his case will be very difficult because he has a fighter and performer in Emmanuel Udom who is performing creditably and silent in contrast to how he (Akpabio) ran his own administration.