A terse statement signed by the Commissioner for Youths and Sport, Mr Monday Uko, Monday night confirmed the approval.
“Following a decision by Julius Berger Plc to recall their staff from their scheduled holiday, the Akwa Ibom State Government has approved the use of the Nest of Champions Stadium, Uyo for the flag-off of the President’s electioneering campaign on December 28, 2018.
“However, all other terms of use will remain effective. Organisers of the rally are expected to meet with the stadium management to finalise this approval,” the statement read.
Earlier, the presidency said no person has the powers to restrain the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria access to any public place in Nigeria which was to be used for a public purpose.
Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), ita Enang, who spoke in a press conference, said the party would explore all the diplomatic ways available to ensure the use of the venue.
He added that in case such failed, the party would make its way into the stadium.
“We will continue to use diplomacy for the request, but if the diplomacy fails, we will still use the stadium. When higher immunity meets the state immunity, it would succumb. We will not allow Udom to blackmail Akwa Ibom,” He said.
Enang insisted that the state government’s action was pre-meditated and political, recalling that “the governorship primary that Udom was declared the winner in 2014, was done in that same stadium”.
He said the senator representing Akwa Ibom Northeast, Senator Bassey Albert, also did his empowerment and constituency briefing on the same stadium.
“Udom should know that it was his predecessor Godswill Akpabio that built the stadium with funds allocated to the state by the Federal Government led by President Buhari and denying Akwa Ibom people the use of that facility is a collective insult on the people of the state,” he stressed.
He explained that the choice of Akwa Ibom for the South-South campaign flag-off became necessary following widespread acceptability of the APC in the state and the South-South states.
