Statutory delegates and stakeholders of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District last Monday resisted attempts by the embattled political leader of Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, Senator Emmanuel Ibokessien and co to force them into endorsing the secretary to State Government Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel as a consensus candidate for the forthcoming PDP gubernatorial primaries.
In a meeting held at Ritman College the home of the former Senator, delegates rejected all entreaties and maneuverings geared towards securing their endorsement for the Onna born Zenith bank officer.
The nocturnal meeting was said to be held at the instance of the Governor Godswill Akpabio, THE INK gathered. Our reporter understands that armed with a well doctored communiqué said to have been pre- prepared by Aniekan Umanah and his stooges, the Governor had directed his loyalists and Ibokessien to ensure that at all costs they get the delegates to endorse Udom Gabriel Emmanuel as consensus candidate for the senatorial district in order to bar other aspirants who are said to be making very serious in roads and impacts in the Area.
Those invited for the meeting were Elders and stakeholders of the party, all serving commissioners from the senatorial district, the five statutory delegates of the party from each local government in the senatorial district, all the local government chairmen in the area and some members of the governor’s family. Noteable amongst Party Chieftains and Elders were, Chief Michael Afangide, the political leader of Essien Udim, Chief Archibong S. Akpan, aka Apex, the presumed political leader of Etim Ekpo, Chief Otu Robert Akpan from Ini/ Ikono axis.
A very reliable source at the meeting said when delegates present at the meeting were asked to adopt Udom Emmanuel as the consensus governorship candidate, everyone ignored the call even when they had earlier adopted the President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term and the governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio for the Senate, but members refused to respond when Udom’s case was mentioned.
A delegate who was in the meeting, spoke on grounds of anonymity to THE INK, said, “It was a very fruitful meeting until the idea of endorsing aspirants came up, which really created mistrust among the stakeholders. We felt it was in bad faith, we were wondering why the Governor our brother and his team are so desperate about this Udom thing. Most people rejected Udom because they do not know him. For instance you cannot expect a delegate who is in Umana, Albert, Okpolupm Etteh and other camps to dump their benefactors for a man Akpabio is imposing on the people. My brother we have the right to chose whom we want to lead us. It is not the duty of Akpabio to choose for us. But for me, I cannot support Udomoooo because he does not know me, so that is how it is. The truth is that Udom does not appear set for victory in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District. Worse is that those in his camp who are in government are bragging that it is either him or no Akwa Ibom”.
THE INK can authoritatively report that the meeting took a different dimension when Chief Sunny Ibanga Ikot Ekpene PDP Chapter Chairman speaking on behalf of the party drew the attention of delegates to the directives of the PDP National Working committee against the endorsement of aspirants by any organ of the party. Hence called for the exclusion of party officers in such arrangement.
It was at this point that the organizers of the failed endorsement called for voting to decide who were in support of the idea by Sunny Ibanga or otherwise. Eye witnesses accounts have it that majority of those who attended the meeting supported Chief Ibanga’s position, an action which angered the organizers who asked them out of the meeting.
Sensing foul play, pro Sunny Ibanga’s group refused to leave the meeting while maintaining their position on the Udom saga.
Engr. Ibokessien at this point thundered that those who supported Sunny Ibanga’s position will be reported to the Governor and their ten thousand naira transport will be forfeited. This threat did not change the position of the delegates who shouted back at Ibokessien that he can go with the money as they are not interested. They inquired angrily if Akpabio is God.
The host, Emmanuel Ibokessien explained that the NWC warning was for the press and a halfhearted warning as approvals by party officials in other places was ongoing.
There was confusion as the pro Udom group insisted that the party officers must also endorse the SSG and the meeting ended abruptly with the ridiculed senator maintaining that the issue of cancelling party endorsements by NWC was just a mere wish that the party will not implement.
However, some delegates had earlier expressed fear that the pro Udom group may use their names on the attendance register to further their endorsement communiqué thus faking their position. Their fears were however rife when Ibokessien in Eket last Tuesday read what was purportedly signed by them.
Meanwhile, Senator Emmanuel Ibokessien as a fallout of that meeting may be arrested for forgery and impersonation following the action he portrayed last Tuesday in Eket. Some stakeholders of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District maintained that the communiqué that the favour seeking politician read at Eket during the reception organized for the SSG did not reflect the true position of things and what took place at the Monday night meeting. They insisted that they have already consulted legal experts and may commence legal actions against him for dropping their names in what they opposed vehemently.
Is it thesame meeting that I personally passed the paper round and everyone signed excluding Chief Ibanga and one friend of his who were asked out of the venue later? Na wa o. Press where on a dey get news from na. I personally passed that paper round.
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