APC Governorship Primary: Ekong appeals to contenders to sheath swords and support winner

The All Progressive Congress gubernatorial aspirant, Prof. Christopher Ekong who lost in the APC primaries in Uyo has called on other contenders to sheath swords and support the winner, Obong Akan Udofia.

He made the call while addressing journalists on Tuesday at the office of the Correspondents’ Chapel, in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital.

Reminiscing the primaries of May 26, some of the aspirants who contested faulted the exercise following the last-minute acceptance of Mr Akanimo Udofia into the party and his eventual emerging winner of the primaries.

Ekong, a former State Commissioner for Youths and Sport said he has accepted the results of the primaries as declared by the party and called on others to do the same.

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.

“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 build our democracy,” he said.

Aspirants like Senator Ita Enang, former Special Assistant to Presidential Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, and Senator John Akpanudoedehe, former Secretary of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee have protested against the primaries, saying that, it was a sham as materials were not available for use.

Meanwhile, the case filed in court by Akpanudoedehe, one of the contenders against the exercise has been withdrawn.