Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) has reaffirmed Akparawa Michael Bush Mbaba as its duly recognised governorship candidate for the 2027 election, dismissing claims that Emmanuel Friday Ben is the authentic candidate of the party.
The party’s position was contained in a press statement signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ime Silas, and dated June 5, 2026.
The statement was issued in response to a report alleging that the Labour Party was grappling with two governorship candidates in Akwa Ibom State.
According to the party, Ben did not survive the National Screening Committee’s screening exercise held at the Labour Party’s national headquarters in Abuja.
Labour Party therefore maintained that there were no two cleared governorship aspirants competing for its ticket in the state.
The party further identified Mrs Freena Akpanusong as its recognised State Chairman in Akwa Ibom, rejecting claims that Lincoln Charles occupied the position at the time of the party’s 2026 state congress.
On the governorship primary, the June 5 statement said the legitimately recognised primary was conducted on May 30, 2026, at the party’s state secretariat at No. 40, Akwa Efak, off Udoudoma Avenue, Uyo.
It stated that the exercise was conducted by the National Electoral Committee for Akwa Ibom State, headed by Dr Kingsley Okundaye, and supervised by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The party also pointed out that Senator Nenadi Usman, who chaired the National Screening Committee, was the same National Chairman who constituted the electoral committee that conducted the Akwa Ibom primary.
Most importantly, Labour Party’s publicity secretary expressly declared in the statement that Akparawa Michael Bush was the party’s duly elected governorship candidate for the 2027 election in Akwa Ibom State.
The statement said: “The duly elected Labour Party Gubernatorial candidate for the 2027 governorship election in Akwa Ibom State is Akparawa Michael Bush.”
Akwa Ibom State Labour Party finally urges supporters and the public to disregard reports presenting the party as having two governorship candidates.
Similarly, National Publicity Secretary of Labour Party, Mr Ken Asogwa, a lawyer, when contacted, said the party is united behind both the Freena Akpanusong-led Akwa Ibom State executive of the party as well as the Michael Bush governorship ticket.
Mr Asogwa assured members of the party to rest assured that there is no cause for alarm.
