The
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, has refused the All
Progressives Congress the use of Uyo Township Stadium for the hosting of
President-elect, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.), Punch reports.
Buhari was scheduled to visit Akwa Ibom on Thursday, but as the
state government denied the APC use of the Uyo Township Stadium, the
visit had to be postponed till after the governorship and state Houses
of Assembly elections.
The letter denying the APC the use of the stadium emanated from the
Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Youth and Sports, dated April 7, with ref.
No. MYS/AD/146/VOL. 11/142 and made available to newsmen on Thursday.
The letter, which was signed by Mr. Nse Edem, on behalf of the
Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr. Akan Uko, stated that the request
to use the stadium was denied because the Peoples Democratic Party in
the state had applied to use it earlier.
“I am directed to refer to your letter of April 6, 2015 on the
request for the use of Uyo Township Stadium and to inform you that the
ministry had already approved the use of the stadium to the Peoples
Democratic Party on April 9.
“You are by this letter please requested to look for any other
alternative venue since the stadium had already been booked and would
not be free for April 9.”
Reacting to the development, the Head of Media and Publicity, Umana
Okon Umana Campaign Organisation, Mr. Iboro Otongaran, said the
President-elect would not visit the state as scheduled due to the denial
of the APC the use of the venue.
He said that efforts to get alternative venue had proved abortive
as the party was so confident that the Uyo township stadium would be
approved.
He called on the APC supporters not to worry, but to go out en masse
on Saturday to vote for Umana as Akwa Ibom governor and all other APC
candidates in the state House of Assembly.
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