Uyo Senatorial District race and the contenders BY KUFRE ETOP

As the PDP primary elections draw closer, more people have indicated interest to occupy the only seat for Uyo Senatorial district in the senate chambers. Apart from the incumbent senator who is seeking another term the contest appears to be between the Uruan and IbesikpoAsutan state constituencies.

Through a gentleman agreement, the elders of the district had zoned the senatorial district seat to Uyo federal constituency who last occupied the seat between 1999 and 2003 with Senator John AkpanUdoedehe as the representative.
Etinan federal constituency took over from Uyo with Distinguish senator Effiong Bob from NsitUbium representing the district. He did two terms and wanted a third term until he was defeated by the incumbent Senator Ita Solomon Enang from Itu/ Ibiono federal constituency.

Out of the four local government areas in Uyo federal constituency, Uruan have been favoured to produce the next senator since IbesikpoAsutan who would have been given a technical knockout by the elders since they had produced a governor for the state between 1999 -2007. However, that fact not withstanding quite a number of them has thrown their hat into the ring for the contest.  

This article will bring to the public those who have so far indicated interest to represent the district beyond 2015 and the opinion of some of those the author interacted. It is an unbiased and objective report that will guide you in the choice of the next senator for the district.

Contenders
Rt. Hon Emmanuel Obot

He is from IbesikpoAsutan State constituency and was a member of the 1stAkwaIbom State House of Assembly from1992-1993. He worked as a senior special assistant to Governor Victor Attah and contested the Uyo federal constituency seat in 2007. Although he had won the contest, the party handed over the ticket to Elder BasseyEtim from Uruan who represented the federal constituency with a stolen mandate till 2010 eight months to the end of that era when a federal high court nullified his election and victory was given to Hon Obot.
In 2011 he sought for the revalidation of his tenure but was denied an opportunity by the party a situation which compelled him to join the labour party and was disgraced at the general election. He is not a very popular politician but has made his mark in the business world.

Rt. Hon (Barr) Usenobong Akpabio

 
He is one man known to have an independent mind and attribute that seems to work against his senatorial ambition. He was in the 3rd and 4th assembly where he made contributions but the elders of the district are not comfortable with his aspiration especially in Uruanwhere he had wanted a third term despite opposition from stakeholders and elders. He is seen as one politician who will only return from Abuja in 2019 probably to seek reelection. A close associate of this golf player told this reporter that Usenobong is going to the senate just to tell governor Akpabio that despite the governor’s hatred against him and his aspiration he is in the same senate chambers with him if actually the governor wins in IkotEkpene senatorial district.

Prince NsikakOkon is another politician who has joined the senatorial race. He is from NsitAtai state constituency and is regarded as a green horn in the politics of the federal constituency nay senatorial district. He has erected bill boards across the state capital and has a campaign office along Aka NungUdoe road as a demonstration of his seriousness. 

Rt. Hon Anthony Akan:

He is the chairman of Uruan LGA and has his eyes fixed on the senate seat. He is regarded as the man with the support of the people especially those from Uruan who have benefitted from his development oriented administration in the area in the last two years. Being a chairman of council has exposed his capacity as a good manager of human and material resources and as one politician who could be trusted with the sacred mandate of the people. He is also seen as a team player who in a matter of days will getfully assimilated into National Assembly politics having at the back of his mind the interest of the people. He is seen as a calm but matured gentleman who could report back to the people the happenings in the senate, a feat that has been absent with previous representatives and above all he represents the voice of those who have suffered many years of misrepresentation. Many in district believe he will do well like some of his forebears including the charismatic ObongNyongEssien.

Elder Bassey Etim
This is another Uruan Son who is also eying the senate seat. He is the man who represented the people of Uyo federal constituency with a stolen mandate from 2007-2010. He is seen as an ‘intelligent’ man who is richly endowed with such intelligence that could turn things around in his favour at the primary. His first electoral victory in 2002 was surrounded in controversy just as that of 2006 which finally brought his controversial stay in the National Assembly to an untimely end. So farhe has taken his campaign to some interest groups including traditional rulers in the district.

Atim Binta Ali
This is the latest among the contestant from IbesikpoAsutan. Not much is known of her but it is believed in some quarters that she has strong backing from the party at the national level. She has come with the slogan of sustainable transformation and hopes to actualize her ambition through the party’s support for women. So far, she is the only female contestant.

Apostle Ekpe James
He is the chairman of IbesikpoAsutan local but his senatorial ambition is seen by many as a huge joke based on his poor outing as chairman of council. Though he is yet to make his intention to go to the senate public, information has it that he actually wants to run on a joint gubernatorial ticket with one ONNA governorship hopeful.


Senator Ita Enang


He has been in the National Assembly for 15 years now and is eying the senate seat for a second term. In 2011, he was the champion of a single term for each local government to give the nine local government areas of the district a chance to sit in the red chambers. Today, he has made a U turn an action that angers stakeholders in the district. Many are of the opinion that his representation has not resulted in any visible and positive impact on the people. He is said to be vocal in the national Assembly but many describe this as mere speaking in tongues which only edify him and not the people who should benefit from his representation. He is currently trying to join the campaign that Eket Senatorial district should produce a governor just to curry favour from the governor having fallen out with the former SSG and his kinsman from Ibiono who is also eying the governorship seat.