I haven’t given up on Akwa Ibom governorship race – Richard Anana

One of the contenders for the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship ticket in Akwa Ibom, Mr Richard Anana, has declared that he has not given up his political ambition to become governor of the state.

He spoke to journalists in Calabar, the state capital, indicating that even as the party is yet to have an acceptable flagbearer, it means he still has a chance.

It would be recalled that after all efforts to emerge as the party’s candidate for next year’s gubernatorial election, instead two candidates, Senator Ita Enang and Mr Akan Udofia, were alleged to have emerged controversially, with the matter heard at the Federal High Court, Uyo, Akwa Ibom capital, and now pending at Appeal Court Calabar.

The high court had earlier given the party two weeks to hold a fresh primary to pick a flagbearer but those two weeks elapsed without any mutual candidate.

Anana said it was on this basis that he believes he still has a chance, and that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, window was still open.

The oil and gas expert told reporters, “I have not given up on the governorship race. I am still in the race.

“I expect to emerge as the governorship candidate of our party no matter the labyrinth of finding a middleground.

“I am the only aspirant that has emblazoned the agenda of developing the grid Commonwealth that is built on transparency in the state governance processes.

“This is that amber-alert moment where genuine desire to contest is based upon self sacrifice, in-depth knowledge in working for the general good of the less privileged.”