Akpabio Faults Kwankwaso Over Comment On PDP Govs

Akwa Ibom State governor Godswill Akpabio has faulted his Kano State counterpart, Engr. Rabiu Kwankwaso over his recent interview in which he referred to the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum and two other governors as vultures in the ruling party. “The vultures I was referring to are the three governors who were present at the president’s Kano visit and Godswill Akpabio is one of them”, Kwankwaso had said in the interview, noting that Akpabio wants to be anointed presidential candidate in the event that President Goodluck Jonathan fails to get the ticket. But Akpabio, who spoke through his chief press secretary, Pastor Anietie Ukpe, stated that while Kwankwaso’s remarks in the said interview were strange, unfortunate and unstatesmanlike, he was pained to note that the Kano governor, “now an APC governor, could descend so low as to describe his colleagues in the PDP as vultures. “The language is pitiable coming from a supposed “Excellency” and a supposed
custodian of the public trust”, he said. A statement issued by Ukpe and made available to us on monday reads in part: “PDP governors have vowed to support the unity and progress of Nigeria. They hold Governor Kwankwaso and the good people of Kano State in high esteem and wish Kwankwaso success in all his endeavours, particularly his politics of hate for other Nigerians. “Let Kwankwaso, however, note that PDP governors would not descend into the abyss of blackmail politics which Governor Kwankwaso is wallowing in. Such politics of blackmail is what destroyed the First Republic, and noble men who love this country have risen to save this country from such evil and undemocratic tendencies”. Akpabio implored Kwankwaso to desist “from fulminating against his colleagues, and hold a seminar to explain to Nigerians why insecurity and Boko Haram, which are threats to Nigeria’s survival, are prevalent in APC states, and tell Nigerians why all the three states in which a state of emergency has been declared because of terrorism are APC states”. The statement denied that Akpabio nurses presidential ambition, saying “Governor Akpabio does not need Kwankwaso to declare his political ambition for him. Governor Akpabio has expressed his interest in the Senate in 2015 and support for President Jonathan in 2015”.