National Coordinator of the Presidential Support Committee (PSC), Senator Godswill Akpabio, has charged members of the committee on the need to remain united as one family in order to assist President Muhammadu Buhari to produce his successor from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs gave the charge while receiving state chairmen and leaders of the committee in office in Abuja, on Tuesday.
Akpabio, in a statement by his media aide, Jackson Udom, said he was excited receiving and hearing from the leaders after a while, adding: “I am most delighted to receive you my brothers today.
“I am always available for your suggestions and advice on how to move this group forward and by extension our great party.
“Let us, after this meeting, look for all our members across the country because in unity, we are stronger. While it is your right to support any candidate of your choice in 2023, but after the primaries and candidate(s) emerge, we must close ranks, forget individual differences and work for the unity of the party to ensure our victory at the polls.”
Akpabio narrated the events that led to his appointment as the national coordinator of the PSC by President Buhari shortly after flagging-off his second term campaign in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
The Minister said: “As the national coordinator, I inherited nothing but I put in my best to bring back the committee. Through our collective effort, the activities of the group were seen and felt in all the 36 states of the federation before and during the election which led to our victory at the polls in 2019. We can still repeat that feat in 2023.”
Speaking further, the former governor of Akwa Ibom State declared that “events after the swearing-in of President Muhamadu Buhari for second term, was not encouraging.
“Some misled individuals, thereafter, went ahead to make a lot of illegal pronouncements in the media, which attempted to paint the group, which has very prominent Nigerians as members in bad light.
“But today, I can say with all seriousness that out of the ashes of the ruins of the PSC, a group has risen to rebuild the House and that group is you. God has not forgotten you and He will adequately reward you all.
“As members of the PSC, know that you are a formidable group within our great party and in very vantage position to assist Mr President to produce a credible and acceptable successor from our great party,” he declared.
Earlier in his remarks, the Cross River State chairman of the committee and Chairman of Chairmen, Honourable Elijah Ettah, said: “We the state chairmen and other zonal leaders of the committee are in Abuja to thank you, our national coordinator, for your leadership qualities and achievements as a public officer.
“As chairmen of the state chapters, we appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari for the confidence reposed on our national coordinator, Senator Godswill Akpabio. His leadership of the committee is never in contest and his commitment to the committee has never been in doubt.
“We came here today to appreciate all your efforts towards revamping and bringing back to life the committee after several failed attempts by some misled and misinformed members of the committee to destroy it.
“Few people will achieve what you have achieved in public office as a commissioner, governor, senator and now, a member of the Federal Executive Council, superintending over the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry.
“It is on record that there is no where you go that you have not left your positive steps on the sands of time. The president made no mistake in appointing you as our national coordinator. You have been a great leader.
“This period is a defining moment in the political history of our nation, do not allow it to pass you by without you, making a statement. We have confidence in you.
“You are a man of credible character which you have demonstrated in your supervisory role over the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Therefore, Nigeria is looking up to you for direction,” he stressed.
On those who had left the group, Ettah said: “There is no room for detractors. They will look for us when the time comes and we will welcome them back into the fold.”
