Akpabio Holds Crucial Meeting With Buhari in London ahead of His Rumoured Defection

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Monday, August 6th, 2018

Photo: Sen. Godswill Akpabio

By Niyi Adeyi

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The speculation that the immediate past Akwa Ibom State Governor Senator Godswill Akpabio is on the verge of crossing to the ruling APC Sunday, finally came to reality, as the Senate Minority Leader visited President Muhammadu Buhari in London and had a closed door meeting with him.

The rumour first broke about three weeks ago – shortly after about 14 APC serving Senators dumped the party and defected to the leading opposition PDP. Then, Akpabio, a strong ally of the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan was reported to have begun the move to dump his party for the APC.

The Sunday meeting between the two Leaders was confirmed by Buhari’s Head of Digital Communication Mr. Tolu Ogunlesi, on his Twitter handle, @toluogunlesi.

“Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, Senator representing the Akwa Ibom North West District, and Senate Minority Leader, today in London met with PMB.”

Ogunlesi tweeted with the attached picture of the two – while the President was welcoming the Senate Minority Leader.

President Buhari Friday began a 10-day working holiday in London.

Barring any last minute change, Akpabio is expected to announce his defection this week. Alrready, the PDP has lost one of its three Senators in the South South State to the ruling APC, about two years ago.

However, it is not clear yet whether the looming defection will be restricted to Akpabio or will spread to all the existing elected political officers in the State.

It would be recalled that former Governor Akpabio last weekThursday also met behind the closed door with Vice-President Prof Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The agenda of the meeting was not made public.

Also, the meeting held at the same time when the PDP 81st NEC meeting, which Akpabio belongs was underway at the party’s National secretariat in Abuja.