Senator Akpabio: Taking Politics out of Politics

Senator Akpabio: Taking Politics out of Politics

When he announced his change in camp to the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) months ago, many never knew he would gravitate so speedily in a party he was freshly coming into.

Akpabio

But facts emerging about this Akwa Ibom ipso facto political kingmaker have been proving pundits, mostly Akwaibom -Abuja newspaper politicians wrong about their assessment of the Ukanna born political bulldozer, and this is without any fear of contradiction or doubt. Godswill Akpabio, a former commissioner for local government , former governor of the state, former minority leader, and serving senator, has been pulling all the strings in his arsenal to ensure the APC’s stronger presence in the state, as opposed to his erstwhile party, PDP, which he has vowed to beat hands down, come the 2019 general elections.

As you are reading this, the Nigeria Media Watch has reiterated Akpabio’s public image standing on the social media as having increased from 45%, two months ago, to 69% as of November 5, 2018. This we can concur as an astronomical rise in acceptability for someone who was coming from the opposition, despite all the shenanigans that have been deployed by his former party to denigrate him.

Again, Akpabio’s new-found chemistry with President Muhammadu Buhari is daily gaining momentum and there are indications that the man may have found a new and better nest in the APC.

Forget about the ranting of few kindergaten politicians in state who only bark on the pages of newspapers,   Akpabio is daily proving that his wishes and desires in the state cannot just be wished away, incumbency or no incumbency, as he understands the nitty-gritty of politics in the state like the back of his palm.

Little wonder, his surrogate and APC governorship candidate for the state in 2019, Obong Nsima Ekere, appears to be wallowing in his awaited-victory at the polls.

It is just like stating the obvious that since Akpabio   defected to the APC, he has   whittled down the almighty power and stronghold of the PDP in the state with the people of Akwa Ibom defecting from the party of yesterday to the Akpabio anointed APC, which is now giving them sleepless nights.

As a political grandmaster and the Garrison Commander of Akwa Ibom politics,   Akpabio knows how to take the battle to the opponent without being scathed.   You can hear him from the message of peace he sent to his numerous supporters, “let the PDP continue tearing our billboards , they can’t tear your ballot paper on the day of election . I don’t need billboard or poster to win election in Akwa Ibom Stare”.

This is exactly what he has been preaching since the day he moved to the APC in the state.

Akpabio’s supremacy in the political terrain of the state is like that of a moving train, and anyone who attempts to come in its way may just find him or herself to blame. It’s about absolute loyalty and untainted commitment to a good cause, which Akpabio has been daily advancing since he changed ship.

It is an attestation to the surge in his image on all fronts, especially on the social media, and it is still not abating. Truth be told, the opposition camp must be having a lot to grapple with on their drawing board right now, if at all they are thinking of Akpabio’s mounting mobility and increasing popularity.

*Arisekola is resident in Ibadan, Oyo State.