The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Akwa Ibom state has enjoined the outgoing senator representing Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial district, Chief Godswill Akpabio, to borrow a leaf from the biblical King Nebuchadnezzar by re-examining himself, purging himself of pride and coming back to the Almighty who is the only God.
In a statement entitled: ‘The Lamentations of Godswill Akpabio: The Locus Classicus for Selective Amnesia’ signed by the party’s publicity secretary, Ini Ememobong, and issued to journalists in Uyo on Friday, the party said it would not pity the disgraceful defeat the Senator suffered at the just-concluded polls, insisting that his ordeal was self-inflicted.
The party added that Akpabio’s defeat was not only because he defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, but because he exalted himself as a god, claiming that he would win elections in the state within three hours.
The party further stated that the Akwa Ibom people perceived such statement as a slap on their sensibilities and decided to respond through the ballot.
The statement read in part, “In all, while we understand the emotional trauma that has befallen outgoing Senator Akpabio, we cannot sympathize with him, because his situation is self-inflicted and can only be cured by deep introspection and self-purge, not self-pity, deceit and delusion.
“He should learn from the biblical character Nebuchadnezzar, who when he found himself where Akpabio has placed himself, humbled himself and sincerely sought the face of the Lord and turned from his past ways.”
Irked by the recent statement by Senator Akpabio, in an interview, that he (Akpabio) ‘never played God’, the PDP publicity secretary said, “How can he say he didn’t play God, when he travelled all the way from his local government area and went to Nsit Ubium to declare that Onofiok Luke will not win elections and nothing can change it. Was that not playing God, or will he also deny that he said that? Or will he deny the Warsaw statement and Federal might boasts? Or was the promise to deliver Akwa Ibom to the President in three hours, not a sign of a Superman, desiring deification?”
“Now to the issues raised by him, wherein our party, the Peoples Democratic Party that made Chief Godswill Akpabio all he lays claim today, the party that made available its winning machine for Chief Akpabio. That same party that gave his name instant recognition, by granting clearance for the then Governor Obong Victor Attah to appoint him as a Commissioner, from where he became who he was before he, with his hands, signed and collected his certificate of retirement from his people.
“That is the party, that he takes the delight in abusing with reckless abandon, yet he demands loyalty or better put slavish followership from people whom he merely supported during his administration. What else can be the best example of hypocrisy. He mentioned the many things he did for the Christian community and superficial display of Christianity as a basis to why he couldn’t play God. This claim can only deceive readers who do not know Chief Akpabio, but the Bible has a reply for him in 1 Sam. 15: 22-23. He derided the Clergymen who dined with him for eight years but later prayed against him. In reply, we remind him that the same Prophets who crowned Kings of old, were the same channel used to dethrone them. Chief Akpabio should bother less about the channels and bother more about the source(God).
“We enjoin him to accept his dethronement as an act of God. Playing God isn’t just about words, it’s also about actions.”
The PDP also claimed to have observed Senator Akpabio’s absence at sittings of the Senate since he lost elections, urging him to maximise the little time left in the eight Senate and represent his constituents well.
“Finally, he should at least try to exercise the current Senatorial mandate till it expires; we do not see him at sittings of the Senate since he lost elections. He has by his actions robbed his constituents the right to be heard on the critical issues currently being discussed at Senate. Senator Akpabio should sincerely assess his performance as a Senator and determine whether he was deserving of a second term,” Ememobong averred.
