Few Elders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State have declared that the party stands to lose the gubernatorial election in the state if Governor Godswill Akpabio is not stopped from imposing candidates on the people.
The elders also declared that contrary to the pictures being painted of an uncommon transformation in the state, there was an uncommon hunger, uncommon anger and uncommon tension which, they said, could lead to uncommon revolt against the PDP in the state.
Addressing the media in Abuja on Tuesday night, the elders led by the former Governor of the state, Obong Victor Attah; former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Don Etiebet; and the former Deputy National Vice Chairman of PDP, Edet Nkpubre, stated that they would work for President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid but cannot guarantee that the party would win the state if there is no level playing ground for all the aspirants.
Attah said: “We state with emphasis that in view of the widespread disenchantment in the state PDP and Akwa Ibom State as a whole, His Excellency, Chief Godswill Akpabio, cannot claim to be able to..
single-handedly deliver the votes of Akwa Ibom people to the President in 2015, since also politics is a game of numbers and other political parties have for sometime now been engaged in an aggressive membership drive.
“We call upon our party at the national level to view as sabotage and a serious anti-party offence, the removal of our membership register by the state leadership of the party six months ago from all the 329 wards to the Governor’s Lodge or the state party secretariat in Uyo.
“We have therefore resolved that the register must be returned to the wards forthwith to enable all intending new members to be registered ahead of the ward congresses, and we shall not condone any falsification or fraudulent changes in the registers,” he added.
Attah further said that “in firm support of the position of the National Chairman, the NWC and the President, we wish to restate our resolute stand against imposition of any candidate.”
“We therefore urge the national leadership of the party to be very firm in ensuring that a level playing field is established for all aspirants and to sanction any NWC member found to be aiding and abetting the imposition of any person or group of persons.
“Our state Chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo, who by virtue of his position is a member of the electoral panel, has openly and unapologetically admitted that he is there to do the wishes of the governor! He has therefore not tried to conceal or disguise his bias in favour of Mr. Udom Emmanuel, the governor’s anointed,” he added.
The group demanded that Ekpo be relieved of his position forthwith and that the elders and stakeholders from Uyo Senatorial District to which he belongs, be asked to come up with a replacement.
They further demanded that the State Secretary of the party, Ibanga Akpabio, whom they said is the blood brother of the Governor be removed from office and the stakeholders from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District be asked to provide his replacement and the Youth leader, Emmanuel Ekpenyong, for his open support for Udom Emmanuel whose imposition as the party’s candidate is being sponsored by Governor Akpabio.
The former Minister of Petroleum, Don Etiebet, while answering questions said: “We have decided to bring this press conference to Abuja so that it would be close to the party leadership and list the problems we are facing in Akwa Ibom State.
“Just a week ago, the former First Lady, a Senator, Esuene, was fiercely attacked by the Governor’s boys because there was a strict instruction that nobody should come there to campaign. One of those attacked has died.
“A week ago, an Inspector of Police who is the brother to the just retired DIG Ekpodum was fiercely attacked at Abak; they thought he was dead and left him. When they learnt he was still alive they went back to the hospital to finish him but the nurses hid him. Ekpodum’s brother was attacked because he indicated interest for the Ikot Epkene Senatorial seat of which the Governor is interested in.
“We are here to call upon the authorities to ensure that the security agencies in Akwa Ibom are neutral and would work to protect all citizens of the state.
“We cannot vouch for the PDP of winning the governorship election in the state if governor Akpabio is allowed to use violence to impose a governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, but we want to assure the President that we will deliver him 100 per cent,” he added.
But n a swift reaction, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Pastor Anietie Ukpe, described the various allegations as unfounded and attempt to paint the governor in bad light for selfish political gains, challenging them to test their popularity and acceptance among the people instead of converging in Abuja to attempt to curry the favour of the party leadership through the back door.
Ukpe in a release said “any worthwhile effort at transformation is usually met with resistance by conservative forces, parading themselves as agents of progressive change.
“In the Akwa Ibom situation, a group constituted themselves into some kind of ‘Board of Directors’ of Akwa Ibom State or if you prefer ‘Board of Trustees’. Governor Godswill Akpabio broke the jinx by winning the 2007 election without their support but based on the support of the masses.”
“Governor Akpabio has stated time and again that he is not imposing anybody, so the problem is not with Governor Akpabio. The problem is that they have someone they want to impose and they are afraid that Governor Akpabio may again truncate their plans.
The release added that calls by the group for the sack of the Paul Ekpo-led party executive are the height of double standard because all were present at the congress that gave birth to the present leadership of the party in the state.
Meanwhile, the National Headquarters of the PDP has thrown its weight behind Governor Akpabio to support Possible winner.
The PDP National Working Committee in a statement on Wednesday backed the zoning and asked other aspirants from other Senatorial zones from the party to back out of the race.
The instruction of the party came less than 24 hours after Akpabio paid a visit to the National Headquarters of the party and held a lengthy discussion with the party leaders.
Olisa Metuh, National Publicity Secretary of the party made the position of the PDP NWC known in a statement he signed on Wednesday.
The party in the statement said: “After a review of the decision of the enlarged State Executive Committee of Akwa-Ibom State, the National Working committee (NWC) has accepted and fully endorsed the decision to zone the Akwa-Ibom State governorship position to Eket Senatorial Zone
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