The Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Godswill Akpabio has declared that anybody that does not support President Goodluck Jonathan in any step taken to better Nigeria is an enemy of progress. This Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum said this recently at a forum in Lagos. Read on…

The Akwa Ibom State is being honoured today by the Sun Newspaper, how will you describe the gesture?

The Sun Newspaper has continued to partner with Akwa Ibom State in many ways, I had been given the Sun Man of the Year before but today my wife is being honoured. Her pet project is supporting my government. You can see that distance is not a barrier to development at all, we thank the Sun and wish them well.

You are the Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, are your members still operating under the Nigeria Governors Forum or not?

The PDP Governors’ Forum which I am the Chairman, our forum is intact and we are working in harmony. We have a common goal and the goal is to continue to bring ideas that will bring dividends of democracy to our various states. We are a single entity and no one can separate us because we are more determined to uplift the country.

Are you saying you are not a member of Nigerian Governors Forum?

Am I not the governor of Akwa Ibom State and as you know I am the chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum and that also explains that I am a member.

Who is your chairman then? I mean Nigerians Governors’ Forum?

Do I have to tell you before you know the Chairman? Look, you need to go back to elementary school or… (Laughs)

Some people say your closeness to President Goodluck Jonathan is as a result of what you will benefit if he eventually wins the election in 2015

Cuts in: Who said so? Remember, we are all patriotic Nigerians, he is the president while I am a governor, we must be close to enable us work together. Moreover, we are in the same party, even a principal officer in the party. So, why shouldn’t I be loyal to him, anybody that does not want the success of President Goodluck is an enemy of progress, I have served for two terms with good record. So, what else do I want? The fact remains that if you are upright in what you do, people must talk.

2015 is around the corner, do you have an anointed candidate that will take over from you?

There is nothing like an anointed candidate, the people are watching and know who they will like to give their support to. The only thing we will do is that the next governor must come from PDP because our state is a PDP state where other parties are rendered inactive, but the issue of anointed candidate cannot come up. We will ensure that the person that will take over from me will be someone with the vision I have, someone who can carry on with the good job. What I have been able to achieve in Akwa Ibom State will at least last for 30 years and I will like to handover to someone that will maintain this status but the people too have the major role to decide.

Some PDP governors decamped to APC recently, some political observers said this will not augur well for PDP come 2015. Do you see the calculation in that way?

I think everybody is entitled to his freedom and right. Before now, we did not know where the problem was coming from but now we know those that are behind PDP problem. I think there is less problem now, they left and so many people are coming to PDP, even some of their faithful that left with them to other parties are now turning back to PDP. We have seen this in so many states. Take Imo State for example; Kwara, Sokoto and the rest, so, their actions are a blessing glory in disguise.

What is your comment on the menace of insurgence in the northern part of the country?

I believe very soon we will get out of this situation, the government of President Goodluck Jonathan is looking for various ways to end the menace and I know with the support of Nigerians; we will put the insurgence to an end.