There were indications that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is in serious talks with the Minority Leader in the Senate, ex-Governor Godswill Akpabio; a move that has unsettled the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)

Akpabio might defect to the APC any moment from now once the “terms” are wrapped up, it was gathered.

The APC is upbeat about the prospect, which analysts believe will be a major political mileage for President Muhammadu Buhari in the South-South.

A PDP top-notch said last night that the party has been appealing to the ex-governor not to defect “but we cannot please him and then displease the governor of the state, Deacon Udom Emmanuel, who is the PDP leader in the state.”

There is no love lost between Akpabio and Emmanuel. Emmanuel was practically made governor by Akpabio in 2015.

It was learnt that Akpabio had made up his mind to defect on July 24 but was not recognised the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, who got wind of his move, to make his intention public.

Notwithstanding, Akpabio showed signs of his departure from the PDP on Thursday when he boycotted the special meeting of the National Executive Committee of the PDP held to welcome defectors including Saraki and governors Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto) and Samuel Ortom of Benue state, among others.

A top APC source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: “The APC and some of our leaders are in serious talks with Akpabio, who is rated as a matchmaker in the South-South.
Findings, however, confirmed that top PDP leaders, including the National Working Committee of the opposition party, has been jittery in the past few weeks.

A member of the National Executive Committee of PDP said: “I think Akpabio has irreconcilable differences with Governor Udom Emmanuel and our leaders stepped into the matter and initiated reconciliation.

•Excerpted from The Nation report

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