APC Media Network condemns Akwa Ibom House Speaker Udeme Otong for claiming 26 party tickets are “custodied” by him for 2027 elections
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Media Network has strongly condemned comments made by the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Udeme Otong, describing them as “provocative and undemocratic.”
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The criticism follows a viral video in which Otong, addressing constituents in Ibibio, claimed that all 26 APC House of Assembly tickets for the 2027 general election were “custodied” by him, and no aspirant could secure a ticket without his endorsement.
“All the tickets are already in my pocket. I single-handedly negotiated for them… I will personally choose who becomes a House of Assembly member,” Otong said in the footage, which circulated widely on social media.
Reacting, the APC Media Network, through its Director-General, Mr Iniobong John, called on the Speaker to retract his statement and apologise to party members across the state.
The group described the remarks as offensive to members who have invested resources and political capital in building the party.
“The statement undermines the authority of the APC’s constitutional organs and creates the false impression that the party has been appropriated by personal ambition,” the statement read.
Mr John emphasised that Otong had no constitutional authority to determine party candidacies or “custody” tickets, warning that any attempt to do so would contravene the principles of internal democracy.
“These loyal stakeholders deserve respect and recognition, not political marginalisation. Fairness and equity demand that those who kept the party alive are accorded a meaningful role and a fair opportunity to contest elective positions on the platform of the party,” he added.
The Media Network further urged Otong to emulate the leadership of Governor Umo Eno and Senate President Godswill Akpabio, noting their demonstrated maturity, humility, and ability to foster unity within the APC.
The group called on the party’s national leadership to intervene, stressing that APC tickets are not personal assets but must be earned through transparent and competitive processes in line with the party’s constitution and electoral guidelines.
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“The 2027 candidates of the party will be decided by APC members through due process, not by political bravado or self-appointed gatekeepers. The party remains supreme,” the statement concluded.
