Mr Akpabio's major rival in the senatorial election is his former political ally, Emmanuel Enoidem, who is a candidate of the PDP.
A former minister of Petroleum and a BoT member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Don Etiebet, has rejected the candidacy of Godswill Akpabio for the 2023 senatorial election in Akwa Ibom North-West District.
Mr Etiebet, who is from the Akwa Ibom North-West District, said this shortly after the Friday's judgment by the Supreme Court, which affirmed Mr Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta Affairs, as the authentic APC candidate for the election in the district.
Mr Etiebet said the federal constituency which Mr Akpabio is from in the district has produced a senator "several times", and that it is the turn of another federal constituency which has produced none before.
The Akwa Ibom North-West District comprises 10 local government areas which are grouped under four federal constituencies - Ikot Ekpene; Ikono/Ini; Ukanafun/Oruk Anam; and Abak.
The last two federal constituencies, usually lumped together in political discourse, are popularly referred to as Abak-5.
Mr Akpabio's Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency has produced a senator five times, from 1963 till date, and that includes Mr Akpabio's election as senator in 2015.
Christopher Ekpenyong, the current senator representing the district, is from Mr Akpabio's constituency.
Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency has produced a senator twice, while Ukanafun/Oruk Anam has produced a senator thrice.
The Abak Federal Constituency is the only constituency in the district that is yet to produce a senator.
Mr Etiebet says the political leaders in the district respect, but do not accept, the Supreme Court judgment on Mr Akpabio because of equity and fairness.
"We from the senatorial district have since resolved that it is the turn of Abak-5 Zone of the District and in particular, the Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency to produce the senator this time around since all the other three federal constituencies in the senatorial district have produced senators several times," said Mr Etiebet who is a revered APC leader in Akwa Ibom.
The former minister's remark is published on Facebook by a chieftain of the APC and a newspaper publisher, Uduakabasi Ikpat.
Mr Etiebet said it was for the purpose of achieving equity and fairness that the APC members in the district "elected" a former deputy inspector general of police, Udom Ekpoudom, who is from the Abak Federal Constituency, as the party candidate for the senatorial election.
The Court of Appeal had ruled in favour of Mr Ekpoudom before the judgment was overturned by the Supreme Court in Mr Akpabio's favour.
"Senator Godswill Akpabio did not participate in that senatorial primary monitored by INEC but having failed in his presidential bid he was pursuing at the time of the senatorial primary, he rushed back at a later date to have a nocturnal primary not monitored by INEC to declare himself as the senatorial candidate.
Mr Etiebet said Mr Akpabio would have given a chance to the Abak Federal Constituency to produce the next senator if he had "any feeling of comradeship, brotherliness and love for others".
The former minister said political leaders in the district have resolved to support "any candidate" from Abak Federal Constituency for the senatorial election.
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It is unclear, however, if the APC leaders in the district will throw their weight behind the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Emmanuel Enoidem, who is from the Abak Federal Constituency.
Senator Akpabio reacts
Mr Akpabio's campaign organisation said Mr Etiebet's remark indicates that he intends to support Mr Enoidem in the senatorial election.
In a statement issued on Saturday by its spokesperson, Joe Iniodu, the campaign said, "It is strange that while PDP jettisons zoning at the national level, it orchestrates it with missionary zealotry in Abak/Etim-Ekpo/lka Federal Constituency."
Mr Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom, was elected senator in 2015 under the PDP. He later defected to the APC in 2018, where he contested for a second term in 2019 but was defeated by the PDP candidate, Mr Ekpenyong, who is a former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom.
