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| Engr. Ben Akak addressing his supporters before APC gubernatorial primaries election in Calabar |
Maurice Fubara |21st August 2022
As events leading to the 2023 general elections keep unfolding, a gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in Cross River State, Engr. Ben Akak has caused a stir of commotion and pandemonium in the various political camps of the state after announcing his intention to meet with members and leaders of all his gubernatorial support groups.
The Notice of the meeting which did not disclose its agenda was made available on several social media platforms and his official Facebook Page. The meeting schedule for today by 4 pm at his Calabar residence is said to have sent cold shivers down the spine of some politicians as no one seems to know the direction or agenda of the meeting. But one thing is certain, they all believe, that the Political Colossus whose entry into the political scene has been a threat to many political big wigs will give his members a political direction today and many are said to be scared, not knowing if the direction will favour their political destiny.
A close member of the Caterpillar Movement who doesn't want his name on print, since he is not authorised to speak on the matter, disclosed that the People's Democratic Party's candidate, Prof. Sandy Onor is not taking the said meeting lightly as he is very worried and sincerely wants to know the agenda and outcome of the meeting. The source also revealed that Sandy's earnest prayer is that Akak shouldn't throw his weight behind the APC candidate not defect to Labour Party as both moves will be disastrous to his ambition. "I can tell you for sure that Sandy is worried. He has been concerned about Ben Akak's political decision. Because he knows it is only Ben Akak that can match him in the field and possibly win him"
"You Know Ben Akak is new in the system but, he has gained so much popularity that he can't be overlooked anymore, His political silence was disturbing, now that he wants to speak and make a decision, it will help stabilise things across party lines, the PDP, APC and even Labour Party will now know what strategy to use in the coming elections." The source informed.
Our source also disclosed that the PDP Gubernatorial candidate had wished to have Ben Akak in his camp, he had even sent people to woo him, but he is not sure it worked.
Also speaking to this reporter, an alley of Prince Otu's camp, the APC governorship candidate informed that the delay of Ben Akak to take a political decision at some point got Otu angry as it was expected he collapse structure for him.
It is no longer news that Prince Otu had long ago paid Ben Akak a visit where it was rumoured that he Otu pleaded with Akak to support him win the election and they both will run the government together.
Akak had been silent since after that meeting with several rumours of him defecting to Kwankwaso's NNPP and later he was said to be eyeing the Labour Party's ticket.
Also the Labour Party leadership and her Presidential candidate, Peter Obi have been said to be mounting pressure on Akak to fly the party's guber flag come 2023.
In all these Ben Akak has been careful to keep his decision to himself as nobody seems to know what decision he will be taking today. The anxiety is high as his supporters are also divided across these various choices. Some believe he should take the bull by the horn and join forces with Peter Obi's Movement while others believe he should continue to be loyal to his party despite the injustice meted out to him, others are also of the opinion that he should leave the dirty water of politics and concentrate on his business and philanthropic work.
It was also disclosed that Ben Akak's camp is divided into two opinions, the political elites in his camp and those close to the governor are said to believe that he should be loyal to the party, stay put and observe things, support the party to victory that at the end he might be rewarded.
Others believed the party has not been fair to Engr Ben Akak who os said to have kept the afloat even when members of the party weren't proud of the party, therefore, he should leave the party in pursuit of his political destiny. But the fear of being seen as a desperado by others who think that his emergence as Labour Party governorship candidate will divide the votes from the South. On the other hand, if Prince Otu loses out of the race owing to the court case with Owan, the South will see Ben Akak's movement to LP as a smart move and will rally around him as the only hope of the south to fulfil the Back to South Agenda.
Recall that Engr. Ben had thrown in the towel after governor Ben Ayade announced Sen. Prince Otu as the consensus candidate for The All Progressives Congress in Cross River state, but they had been several agitations by promoters of the Ben2Ben campaign movement for Engr. Ben not to give in, rather defect to another party and prove his worth in the field.
The options are available to Akak are dicey, should he stay put within the party and Prince Otu who is currently the only hope for the actualisation of the back to south agenda is thrown out by the court, I doubt Akak will be able to forgive himself because he had the opportunity to be the hope of the south by defecting to Labour Party but refused. On the other hand, should Ben Akak defect and becomes the governorship candidate of Labour Party, and Prince Otu is cleared to run the race by the court, the South will see Ben Akak as a desperate politician who as come to divide the votes from the South.
In All, Akak needs to be calculating and very sensitive as he takes this almighty political decision today, knowing that the destiny of this state rest on him and the various decisions he makes.
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