Drama as Akwa Ibom PDP Peace Meeting Ends in Uproar- As Akpabio asked G-22 to write him why Udom should not fly

A peace meeting between the group of 22 aggrieved
People Democratic Party (PDP) governorship
aspirants in Akwa Ibom state and Governor Godswill
Akpabio in Abuja was almost marred ut became
engulfed in an uproar on Saturday, a source at the
meeting disclosed.
The meeting, which took place at the instance of
Akpabio, was initiated as an avenue for the group of
22 to sit at a roundtable with governor Akpabio to
iron out their grievances over the December 8
governorship primary in the state which the
aspirants had described as being “fraudulent and not
transparent.”
According to the source, the meeting which was from
that point moderated by Engineer Patrick Ekpotu, a
former deputy governor in the state, who is also one
of the aggrieved, began with the governor’s speech
pleading with them to accept Emmanuel Udom as the
governorship candidate of the PDP in the state, a
position that was outrightly rejected by the group.
The source said: “The group’s rejection of Udom as
communicated to the governor was “because the
process that threw him up was faulty, not transparent
and toxic. The December 8 exercise was everything
but democratic and this has resulted in several
litigations which ought not to be had the process
passed credibility test. At a point in the meeting,
Akpabio called on Udom, who was also present to
plead with the other aspirants. Udom in his speech,
insiders in the meeting say, likened his case to that
of Jesus who was initially rejected by his people but
later turn out to become the saviour.
“The allusion to Jesus reportedly infuriated the
house as he was variously castigated for his lack of
humility. The group of 22 also told Akpabio that
Udom cannot win election with such attitude,
warning that the PDP would be throwing away its
chances of retaining the governorship seat with him
as candidate. “They however promised to work for
the reelection of President Goodluck Jonathan, but
vowed to do everything within their power to stop
Udom.
Apart from pursuing the substantive suit in the
earlier court injunction that was vacated on Friday,
December 19 in Abuja, sources also said that the
group will on Monday, December 22, also appeal the
vacation of the injunction.
“Akpabio requested that the group write him a formal
letter stating the reasons why they think Udom
should not fly the flag of the PDP in the February
election, promising to approach the party leadership
and the president with the letter for further
deliberation’” the source said.
Culled from killer punch