Akwa Ibom guber: I can’t step down for Udom Emmanuel –Ntekim

The immediate past at­torney general and commissioner for jus­tice in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Ekpenyong Nte­kim, has said he will not step down for the former secre­tary to the state government (SSG), Mr. Udom Emmanuel, or any other gubernatorial aspirant in the state.

Ntekim resigned last Mon­day alongside Emmanuel to pursue their gubernatorial aspi­rations.
Speaking with journalists yesterday, the former attorney general said though he was aware that a former SSG was allegedly being prepared to take over from Akpabio, he was not disturbed because there were two former SSGs who had been touted as Akpabio’s preferred successors.
“Concerning the issue that I am a smokescreen; I want to say that those who peddle that kind of criminal blackmail, false­hood and defamation of char­acter, appear not to know who Ekpenyong Ntekim is. I say it is most stupid; most irresponsible and it is framed by idle minds that have nothing to say about Ekpenyong Ntekim.
“I am in this race to contest for the governorship of Akwa Ibom State, and I am going to win clean and clear. I have noth­ing whatever to do with sena­torial ambition. I, Ekpenyong Ntekim, will not contest any other office; I have never sought for any other office. This is the first time that I have sought for an office and I am going for the office of the executive governor of Akwa Ibom State in 2015.
“Let me say that I have never come this close to winning any election in my entire life, and I can never surrender it to any other person to tarnish my own image and character. I have looked round the terrain and I see nobody qualified for me to surrender. There is nobody in this race that is my colleague in politics that I can surrender to,” Ntekim said.