PDP claims APC is threatening Godswill Akpabio with EFCC if he refuses to defect

PEOPLES Democratic Party (PDP) officials have accused the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) of using blackmail to try and recruit the senate minority leader Senator Godswill Akpabio by threatening him with prosecution if he refuses to defect.

Earlier this week, it emerged that Senator Akpabio is considering leaving the PDP and joining the APC due to intractable differences between himself and Akwa Ibom State governor Udom Emmanuel. On Thursday, PDP leaders converged at the party's national headquarters in Abuja, where they welcomed recent defectors from the APC like senate president Bukola Saraki and Sokoto State governor Aminu Tambuwal but Senator Akpabio was absent.

Senator Akpabio did not attend the event as he went to a meeting with vice president Professor Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential villa. Sources close to the senate minority leader say the meeting was called to perfect Senator Akpabio's defection to the APC.

One PDP source said that Senator Akpabio was considering leaving the PDP because the government was threatening to use the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against him if he did not work to deliver his state, Akwa Ibom, for the ruling party in 2019. Senator Akpabio governed Akwa Ibom State between 2007 and 2015 as a member of the PDP before handing over to Governor Emmanuel, his hand-picked successor.

“What is happening is that the APC has threatened to deal with him, using the EFCC and he doesn’t want that at all. Although, we are all pleading with him not to leave the party but he is afraid.

"He doesn’t want to be in the EFCC’s net at all. He is really under pressure but we hope that he would listen to us,” the PDP source said.

In 2017, Senator Nelson Effiong, representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District defected to the APC from the PDP. Senator Akpabio represents Akwa Ibom Northwest Senatorial District and if he defects, it will mean the APC controls two of the three senatorial seats in the state.