Former Chief of Staff to Governor Udom Emmanuel and Chief Usoro confirmed pact

The head of Communications of Akwa Ubok Abasi Campaign Organization, a body structured to facilitate the gubernatorial ambition of Senator Bassey Albert Akpan a.k.a OBA, Chief Usoro Usoro, has confirmed that Governor Udom Emmanuel made a commitment to make his principal the governor in 2023.

In a chat with the Correspondents’ Chapel, he corroborated the statement of Akparawa Ephriam Inyaneyen, that there was a pact between the duo insisting that the immediate past Chief of staff to governor Udom Emmanuel and close ally confirmed the arrangement.

The erstwhile Chief Press Secretary to former Governor Godswill Akpabio explained that he has first-hand information on the issue of the pact between Governor Udom Emmanuel and the governorship aspirant.

Usoro stated that Emmanuel’s decision to pick Pastor Umo Eno as his anointed candidate was backtracking on his earlier commitment to take over from him in 2023 if OBA supports him for his second-term bid in 2019.

“I think when the current Governor, Udom Emmanuel came out to contest for governorship, one of the closest persons to him was Ephraim Inyang-eyen. I wasn’t there. If there’s somebody who’ll know if there was a pact, it’ll be Ephraim Inyang-eyen. So if Ephraim Inyang-eyen says there was a pact, I believe him.

“Let me also say that there’s a senior colleague in Abuja whose name I won’t mention, who was in one of the highest levels of Udom’s campaign. He told me clearly that he was there, Effiong Bob was there when the agreement was reached.

“The third person is Senator Akpan himself. Senator Bassey Akpan is not a baby. Senator Bassey Akpan as we all know has been a commissioner in this State, and he has been a senator.

“Whether in age or experience, he knows what he is talking about. The person you’re quoting wasn’t there. So who will you believe?. The person that was there or the person that wasn’t there?

“For instance, I said I wasn’t there and that’s the truth. But I have cited three persons who were there and should be believed,” he stated.

Usoro noted that Senator Akpan has been tested and tried since his days as Commissioner for Finance in the state and currently Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources Upstream.

He said the antecedents of Akpan speak for him, especially when the number of the bills he has sponsored in the senate is considered and the people-oriented and empowerment programmes, as well as the scholarship schemes executed for members of his constituency.

Usoro assured the people of Akwa Ibom of Senator Akpan’s capacity to deliver as the governor of the state in 2023.

He said, “In the Senate, in terms of bills and motions, empowerments, some of his bills have saved Nigeria from so much wastage. Someone who is experienced both on the executive side and the legislative side has a lot to bring to the table.

“If you talk of his direct programme, it may interest you to know that he gave the people his blueprint. Senator Akpan has a blueprint that covers all the critical aspects of the economy and this isn’t something that he’ll guess on what to do. This is something he has started even as a senator”.

Senator Bassey Akpan is the current Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources Upstream, representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial district, and one of the frontline governorship aspirants in the state.