2023 guber: Udom’s aides out to tarnish my image, OBA cries out
Ahead of the 2023 governorship election in the state, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan has said that some aides of the governor are out to tarnish his image.
TheMail Newspaper reports that the senator made this comment while consulting the state executive committee and the entire state leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party on Monday at the State Party secretariat, Atan Offot, Uyo.
Senator Albert stated that he has never asked anybody to insult Governor Udom Emmanuel as he remains his leader and he remains loyal to him.
“I see all kinds of rubbish being written against me in the social media. I have no problem with the governor. Governor Udom remains my leader. And I believe I have given him, shown him and demonstrated my loyalty and support to him. He remains my leader and God sees my heart.
“I have never asked anybody to insult him. I have never asked anybody to write anything against him. But I know that there are SAs (Special Assistants) to the governor that are trying to tarnish my image”, Senator Albert said.
Albert thanked the party for “doing everything for him”, stating that he has in turn remained steadfast to the party through thick and thin.
Albert who represents Uyo Senatorial District in the Nigerian Senate said that his loyalty to the party was tested in 2014 when he was “compelled against his wish” by the then National Chairman of the party, Adamu Mu’azu and former President Goodluck Jonathan to drop his guber ambition for power to go to Eket Senatorial District.
The Senator who is popularly known as OBA said in 2018, he demonstrated his steadfastness to the party again when he stayed back as the only serving senator (from Akwa Ibom) to support the party at the 2019 election.
The Former Finance Commissioner said when he demands that he should be rewarded for his loyalty for the party, he doesn’t mean that the party should adopt him but that the leadership of the party should provide a level playing field for all the aspirants at the forthcoming gubernatorial primary.
“This party must begin to reward loyalty. I am not saying the party should support me. Don’t support me. What I mean by reward for loyalty is that you must create a level playing field for the delegates to elect their candidates.
“I know that the God that sees in secret and rewards in open will cause this party to favour me”, Albert said.