Joe Effiong, Uyo

Gubernatorial candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Akwa Ibom State, John Akpan Udoedeghe, has vehemently protested social media contents suggesting his being picked as running mate to Governor Udom Emmanuel in 2019 election.

Speaking with Daily Sun on phone on Monday, the politician popularly called Udoedehe, said it was even demeaning to suggest that he should partner Emmanuel as deputy governorship candidate in 2019 when he is politically senior to the governor.

“It is insulting to even suggest that Udom should pick me as deputy governor. Even his boss, Senate Minority Leader and former governor of the state, Godswill Akpabio, whom I made governor because I created all their gubernatorial life, had offered me the position of a deputy governor in 2007 and I rejected and told him people don’t make a strongman deputy governor.

“A person like me to be deputy to Udom? Who is he that I will be deputy governor to him? If I had rejected Akpabio’s offer in 2007 why should I accept now? When you see somebody come to offer somebody like me a deputy governor, know that it is fraud,  it is out of spirit of craftiness because one; I was senator 19 years ago.

“You cannot make a man, a visionary man to be under. I can never be under. I am too big for that. I read it online but it is not what anybody should even propose. I like the Esau gift but will always go with my Jacob. Don’t forget that I am not a man who is desperate. I have a mission to serve Akwa Ibom. It has nothing to do with position. You remember they offered me senatorial position to support Umana Umana even though they later came and lied and I rejected.

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“People have died because of me; people are suffering.

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Do you know the number of people that are jobless? Go to Calabar at the weekend and see what is happening. Akwa Ibom people are returning to Calabar; they take our economy to a town we had abandoned. Go and see what is going on in Calabar.

“My ambition has nothing to do with me. As I’m talking to you now, I’m in Abuja; my family can eat and I can eat. It is not all about me.

There is nobody who is a governor that will not patronise journalists. Why am I against Udom? I’m not against Udom because Udom has not done me any wrong. But I’m against Akpabio for killing the economy of Akwa Ibom state,” Udoedehe said.

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He said he was blackmailed during Akpabio’s regime that he wanted to buy the moribund Nigerian Newsprint Manufacturing Company (NNMC), Oku Iboku, which was later sold to outsiders who eventually killed it.

“If I keep quiet and refuse to speak they will say; ‘Udoedehe is supporting Udom’. May God forgive them. I will be the last person they will kill and cry after,” he said.