(NEWS RELEASE)
A pro- APC group in Akwa Ibom State, Defenders of Akwa Ibom APC, has drawn the attention of the national leadership of the party to reports on the alleged forgery committed by officials of the newly inaugurated state leadership of the party in Akwa Ibom State.
The group in a statement issued on Tuesday drew reference to a story published in Premium Times in which the chairman and secretary of the Sheriff Banki and Yakubu Sule respectively separately deposed that their signatures were forged to get the judgment that brought Stephen Ntukekpo to office as state chairman.
It would be recalled that the Banki led congress committee had earlier declared Mr Austin Ekanem as the winner of the congress that was conducted last year.
However, Ntukekpo had filed a court action insisting that he was the person declared as winner by the congress committee.
Ntukekpo is backed by the minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
However, Ekanem is backed by several other state leaders of the party including Senator John Akpanudoedehe, former minister of petroleum, Chief Donald Etiebet, former APC governorship candidates Nsima Ekere (2019), Umana Umana (2015) among others.
Drawing the attention of the party to the development, the group in a statement issued by its coordinator, Ibok Essein warned that the party had laid the foundation for illegality in the continued recognition of Ntukekpo.
“We are worried by this development that the person foisted on us as chairman has been outed as having come to office through the wrong channel. The claim by the party’s agents to conduct the congress that their signatures were forged is enough damning evidence for the party to act to correct this abnormality.
“We say that the reign of illegality and wickedness will not lead the party anywhere and that the minority cannot afford to make progress along this path,” the group warned.
Mr Banki had alerted the APC of the forgery of his signature through a letter he sent to the then national chairman, Mr Buni, on January 11.
The letter which was copied to the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the State Security Service, and the chairman of INEC.
“As you may recall, you appointed me as the Chairman of the APC Congress Committee to Akwa Ibom State for the Ward, LGA, and State’s Congresses, and I acquitted myself creditably,” Mr Bank said to Mr Buni in the letter.
“I submitted the results and the reports accordingly, but to my utter dismay, my attention was drawn to a suit filed in the Federal High Court, Abuja, by one Stephen Leo Ntukekpo who swore to an affidavit and attached fake results sheets where my signature was forged and he declared himself the State Chairman-elect for Akwa Ibom State,” Mr Banki said in the letter.
•Published by: metrowatchxtra.com
