ETIM EFFIONG
The posters of Nigerian Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, have flooded many northern states.
The posters, bearing Sallah greetings, were spotted mainly in Sokoto, Kaduna and Kano among a host of other northern states since Sallah’s eve.
Following the development, there have been speculations that the posters have to do with the minister’s alleged 2023 presidential ambition.
But the Chief Press Secretary to the minister, Jackson Udom, confirmed that it is true that there are posters of Akpabio in some northern states, he, however, said that the posters “have nothing to do with 2023 Presidency.’’
He said, “The posters were printed and pasted by friends of the Minister in the North. The posters have no bearing with any presidential ambition. The rumour that the Minister is nursing Presidential ambition in 2023 is false.”
Also, a one-time youth leader and admirer of Akpabio, Alhaji Bello Bichi, told reporters in Kaduna that it was not surprising that Akpabio has a growing number of admirers in the North.
“Given the kind of goodwill and respect Akpabio has built in the North for many years, it is not surprising to see his posters. As a Nigerian politician he has been a bridge-builder across the North and Southern parts of the country for many years,” Bichi said.
“If any citizen does something spectacular about uniting this country or helping the poor without recourse to their religious or ethno-regional origins, he or she will automatically cultivate many fans and political recognition. And Akpabio is one of such Nigerians,” he added.