Senator Godswill Akpabio who is expected to defect to the APC from PDP tomorrow, has arrived Uyo the Akwa Ibom State capital.
Mr Akpabio, over the past few days, visited President Muhammadu Buhari in London where he (Buhari) is on a 10-day vacation. He also met with the APC leader, Bola Tinubu, as well as Acting President Yemi Osinbajo in preparation for his defection.
A large crowd of both PDP and APC supporters were at the Akwa Ibom International Airport, Uyo, singing and dancing to welcome the Akwa Ibom senator back home, Tuesday afternoon.
“The crowd was something else, very unprecedented,” a former aide to Mr Akpabio said of the reception at the airport.
“It’s a triumphant entry, I can tell you this,” he said.
Among those who were at hand to receive Mr Akpabio were two commissioners serving under Governor Udom Emmanuel – the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Victor Antai, and the Commissioner for Labour, Productivity and Manpower Planning, Ibanga Akpabio, who is a relative of the senator.
Two House of Representatives members, Emmanuel Ekon (Abak federal constituency), and Emmanuel Akpan (Ikot Ekpene federal constituency) were also among those who received Mr Akpabio.
Nse Ntuen, a state lawmaker representing Essien Udim, as well as the Deputy State Chairman of PDP, Michael Afangideh, was also at the airport to receive the senator.
Mr Akpabio is expected to be formally received into the APC on Wednesday at a political rally in Ikot Ekpene.
Here are photos below;
