Joe Effiong, Uyo, 

Akwa Ibom state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has lambasted President Muhammadu Buhari for choosing Mr. Iboro Akpabio as an ambassador-designate from the state. 

According to the party in a statement signed by its publicity secretary, Mr Nkereuwen Enyongekere,   Iboro  Akpabio is not known to the state chapter of the APC and may not even be an indigene of Akwa Ibom state.

While seriously frowning on  Buhari’s style of appointments from the state without recourse to the leadership of the party, APC  said federal government appointments were  ‘extraneous’ and do not favour members of the party.

The party said the attitude of the presidency as regards federal appointments could stall the party’s chances of making any impact in the state in the 2023 elections.

They urged Buhari to reward genuine members of the party in Akwa Ibom who sacrificed their time and resources for the party.

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APC  also said the chairman of the party, Mr Ini Okopido had petitioned the presidency on the issue, and lamented that the President Major General Mohammadu Buhari (retd), had yet to learn from the mistakes of his first term.

 The statement said the party in the latter to the president had “lamented that even in the second term of the administration President Muhammadu Buhari which the party in  the state had expected to benefit from the robust relationship of 2019 elections and for obvious reasons that he will learn from the mistakes of his first term, but unfortunately, the news of every new appointment from Akwa Ibom state has been so nerve wracking and disquieting to the members of APC in the State, thus weakening the threshold of our party in the state as genuine members who have sacrificed their useful resources are completely cheated out.

“The letter underscored among such political appointments, is that of Mr. Oboro Effiong Akpabio, Ambassador designate, as one of the persons the party is not very sure if he is from the state as he is unknown to the party and its members.

“The letter noted if such trend is not discontinued, will surely discourage members from giving their best to make APC work in Akwa Ibom State and thereby hampering the build up towards 2023″the statement reads

The party stressed that for the purpose of robust relationship, the state chapter  should be readily consulted by federal government while making appointments to strengthen the base of loyalty by members.

Doing so,  the party said,  would help to reposition the APC towards growth and development as the next elections will still be on the basis of party, hence the  need to empower members.