The ACCORD in Akwa Ibom State has denied a claim that it had endorsed the Uyo Senatorial candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Victoria Ibokette.
The State Chairman of ACCORD, Rt Hon (Engr) Martins Ansa, who made the rebuttal at a news conference on Monday in Uyo, urged Akwa Ibom people in particular and the online community to disregard the claim.
His words: “Our attention has been drawn to a malicious and misleading post made by one Princess Victoria Ibokette on Facebook, a supposed senatorial candidate of ADC, alleging that ACCORD has unanimously endorsed her.
“It is appalling to think that we would abandon our candidate who is the best and settle for Ibokette, a woman that is not known in her ward.
“We make bold to state that the only candidate known to the ACCORD who also has all it takes to win Saturday’s election and give Akwa Ibom North East (Uyo) Senatorial District an effective and people-centric representation at the 10th National Assembly (Senate) is our standard bearer; Ime Hosanna Ndem.
“By the grace of God and with the support of the good people of Uyo Senatorial District, our candidate being the most accessible and closet to the grassroots persons will win; the reason Victoria Ibokette is jittery and over worried.
“We have received reliable intelligence that Victoria Ibokette is threatened by the growing popularity of ACCORD in Akwa Ibom and is planning to defect to the first political party on the ballot. While we are still contemplating our options to either accept her into our fold or not, we state emphatically that ACCORD will no more condone any further puerile or juvenile strategy to join our party through the back door” the party Chairman stated.
Rt. Hon. Ansa used the occasion to call on the people to vote for candidates of ACCORD on Saturday as well as ACCORD’s Governorship candidate, Engr. Emem Coffie on March 11, the only man he said will end extreme hunger in the State and create at least one Millionaire in every Akwa Ibom home.