Akwa Ibom APC guber primary: I accept my defeat – Ekong

Prof. Christopher Ekong, one of the frontline governorship aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Akwa Ibom State, who lost out in the state’s just-concluded primary election, has finally accepted defeat.

He urged other aspirants who did not make it through the nomination process to do the same and support the candidate in order to see how the party can unseat the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 elections.

It may be remembered that the announcement of Mr Akanimo Udofia as the APC’s governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom sparked a lot of controversy.

A former aide to President Mohammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Enang, had earlier rejected the outcome of the exercise.

Senator John Akpanudoedehe, former Secretary of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, who was also an aspirant, kicked against the primaries and even went ahead to institute a case in court against the exercise, though it was learnt that he has withdrawn it.

But, speaking on Wednesday in Uyo during a press briefing, Ekong, a former State Commissioner for Youth and Sport, said he has accepted the results of the primaries as declared by the party and called on others to follow suit.

He stated that the acceptance of the winner would foster reconciliation and healing which would galvanise the party’s support for Udofia to win the governorship elections in 2023.

According to him, “Obong Akan Udofia had been declared winner of the APC governorship primaries in Akwa Ibom State. I had since accepted the result as declared by the Party.

“I want to use this opportunity to call on all other aspirants in the race to sheathe their swords and open the doors for reconciliation and healing to support and work with the flag bearer, Obong Akan Udofia to win the governorship elections come 2023.

“The clearest opportunity open to APC to win the elections in Akwa Ibom State is now. So every obstacle on our road and quest to realize this must be avoided.

“We must accept the choice of the people and that of the party as a sacrosanct mandate that should be allowed to rule the day. This is the greatest price and respect we can pay to building our democracy.”