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Akpabio, Udoedehe Rekindle Rivalry in U.S
- By Williams Ekanem
- Published August 29th, 2011
- Washington File
- Unrated
The subsisting rivalry between the Akwa Ibom state governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio and his archrival Senator John Akpanudoedehe, Action Congress of Nigeria’s governorship candidate at the April 26, 2011 governorship election, was rekindled last weekend in far away United States of America, the Weekly Insight Newspaper has reported.
Both politicians were in the States to attend two events that were organized by Akwa Ibom indigenes in America.
According to the report, while Akpabio was in Huston, Texas, organized by the Clement Ikpat-led Akwa Ibom Diaspora Network, Udoedehe was in Atlanta, Georgia, attending a converge of Thompson Essien-led Ibibio People’s Union.
In the build up to both events, hay wired politicking was displayed as each camp tried to outwit the other in terms of propaganda and promotion of their various events. Akwa Ibom Diaspora Network is known for its vociferous support for the Akpabio administration, while Ibibio People’s Union was recently formed to give vent to the Diaspora opposition against the governor. One of the most formidable platforms used for the bitter rivalry was the cyber space where the camps used the various fora at their disposal for or against each other.
The governor’s supporters used mostly “Akwa Ibom Global network”, a Yahoo! Group to promote their event, the IPU used Ibom Forum and Ibibionation, also Yahoo! Groups to promote theirs. The Ibibio People’s Union, who first fixed their event for August 6, 2011, saw the coincidence in date as more a means to disrupt their planned event.
Few days to the visit, the IPU president and one of the fiercest critics of the Akpabio administration, Mr. Thompson Essien, posted an article in Ibibio nation forum saying that Akpabio had been denied visa to the United States. “Reliable sources have confirmed that Akpabio was denied visa when his application, accompanied by those of his members of entourage, was sent to the American Embassy.
The same source revealed that not only was Akpabio denied a visa by the embassy, the US Government, through the embassy, had dispatched a confidential memo to the appropriate Nigerian authorities warning that if Godswill Akpabio enters the United States, he will be detained and may be arrested for money laundering and other unspecified crimes.
To avoid the embarrassment to President Jonathan, which the arrest of a governor of one of the Nigerian States would generate, the United States says it has no choice but to issue an advanced warning to Nigerian Government”, had written.
Ikpat was quick to react. While dispelling the visa denial insinuation he said, “Unfailingly, His Excellency Gov. Godswill Akpabio will be in Houston, Texas with the First Lady Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio. Also, a very high-powered state delegation and other society leaders will attend the “State of Akwa Ibom Address and Townhall Meeting” event already scheduled.
I seize this opportunity to welcome all members of the advance delegation to the event, and our brothers and sisters in Canada who have finalized arrangement to storm Houston, Texas. Akpabio’s investment drive, the peg AIDN used for his American trip received barrage of denouncement, with his traducers accusing him of paying mere lip service to the issue of foreign investment, citing the case of the now suspended Amakpe refinery project as a pointer to the governor’s insincerity.
They argued that the governor had only used the event to further deplete the state’s economy with the large number of officials in his entourage.
The governor was to touch down on the tarmac of George Bush Airport Houston to the joy of AIDN members. This was the exultant way his arrival was announced by Mr. Moses Edem, brother to the sacked former NDDC chairman, Ambassador Sam Edem. “Fellow citizens of Akwa Ibom State the moment we were waiting for has arrived.
Our State Governor His Excellency Chief (Dr.) Godswill Obot Akpabio is now on the ground in Houston, Texas for the Town Hall meeting. Do not be left out. Stand up and be counted. Remember we were told that his visa was denied and he cannot travel out of Nigeria”. In Atlanta on August 6, 2011, Senator Udoedehe also landed into the warm embrace of Ibibio people. To the IPU operative, it was a massive outing that received a rave review by the attendees.
Both politicians were in the States to attend two events that were organized by Akwa Ibom indigenes in America.
According to the report, while Akpabio was in Huston, Texas, organized by the Clement Ikpat-led Akwa Ibom Diaspora Network, Udoedehe was in Atlanta, Georgia, attending a converge of Thompson Essien-led Ibibio People’s Union.
In the build up to both events, hay wired politicking was displayed as each camp tried to outwit the other in terms of propaganda and promotion of their various events. Akwa Ibom Diaspora Network is known for its vociferous support for the Akpabio administration, while Ibibio People’s Union was recently formed to give vent to the Diaspora opposition against the governor. One of the most formidable platforms used for the bitter rivalry was the cyber space where the camps used the various fora at their disposal for or against each other.
The governor’s supporters used mostly “Akwa Ibom Global network”, a Yahoo! Group to promote their event, the IPU used Ibom Forum and Ibibionation, also Yahoo! Groups to promote theirs. The Ibibio People’s Union, who first fixed their event for August 6, 2011, saw the coincidence in date as more a means to disrupt their planned event.
Few days to the visit, the IPU president and one of the fiercest critics of the Akpabio administration, Mr. Thompson Essien, posted an article in Ibibio nation forum saying that Akpabio had been denied visa to the United States. “Reliable sources have confirmed that Akpabio was denied visa when his application, accompanied by those of his members of entourage, was sent to the American Embassy.
The same source revealed that not only was Akpabio denied a visa by the embassy, the US Government, through the embassy, had dispatched a confidential memo to the appropriate Nigerian authorities warning that if Godswill Akpabio enters the United States, he will be detained and may be arrested for money laundering and other unspecified crimes.
To avoid the embarrassment to President Jonathan, which the arrest of a governor of one of the Nigerian States would generate, the United States says it has no choice but to issue an advanced warning to Nigerian Government”, had written.
Ikpat was quick to react. While dispelling the visa denial insinuation he said, “Unfailingly, His Excellency Gov. Godswill Akpabio will be in Houston, Texas with the First Lady Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio. Also, a very high-powered state delegation and other society leaders will attend the “State of Akwa Ibom Address and Townhall Meeting” event already scheduled.
I seize this opportunity to welcome all members of the advance delegation to the event, and our brothers and sisters in Canada who have finalized arrangement to storm Houston, Texas. Akpabio’s investment drive, the peg AIDN used for his American trip received barrage of denouncement, with his traducers accusing him of paying mere lip service to the issue of foreign investment, citing the case of the now suspended Amakpe refinery project as a pointer to the governor’s insincerity.
They argued that the governor had only used the event to further deplete the state’s economy with the large number of officials in his entourage.
The governor was to touch down on the tarmac of George Bush Airport Houston to the joy of AIDN members. This was the exultant way his arrival was announced by Mr. Moses Edem, brother to the sacked former NDDC chairman, Ambassador Sam Edem. “Fellow citizens of Akwa Ibom State the moment we were waiting for has arrived.
Our State Governor His Excellency Chief (Dr.) Godswill Obot Akpabio is now on the ground in Houston, Texas for the Town Hall meeting. Do not be left out. Stand up and be counted. Remember we were told that his visa was denied and he cannot travel out of Nigeria”. In Atlanta on August 6, 2011, Senator Udoedehe also landed into the warm embrace of Ibibio people. To the IPU operative, it was a massive outing that received a rave review by the attendees.
