In what could possibly be described as disappointment and rejection, youths of Uyo Senatorial District on Sunday descended on their political leaders at a meeting of the district convened by Senator Effiong Bob.
The meeting which was convened to plead with the people of the district to accept the position of the party to support Eket senatorial district’s quest to produce the government ended in protest at the Akwa Ima Estate residence of Senator Bob by the youths who continually sang solidarity songs as, “all we are saying, give us governor”, “what is the interest of Uyo in 2015 in 2015”,...in Asan Ibibio accord we stand”, and lots more.
The reaction of the youths was said to have rubbed off on the expectation of the meeting as the youths walked out of the gathering despite pleas by a foremost youth leader and the member representing Nsit Ubium state constituency, Barr. Onofiok Luke. The youths stated they will not shift their grounds on their quest of ensuring that Uyo senatorial district produces the next governor in 2015, else the PDP should be ready for their reactions.
Earlier, the convener of the meeting, Senator Effiong Bob noted that the purpose of the meeting was to bring the people of Uyo senatorial district together to define their interest in the present political arrangement by the Party that cedes the governorship to Eket.
He announced that he has personally submitted to the Party’s position on the governorship and explained that the party is greater than individuals’ interest, adding further that the people of Uyo senatorial district should respect the party’s position.
“Now the party has taken a final decision that the governorship should go to Eket senatorial district. As a loyal party man, I know that the party is supreme, so I am appealing to the people of Uyo senatorial to come together so that we can negotiate our collective interest”.
He stressed that the essence of the meeting was to intimate the people to nominate one person each from the nine local government areas for a meeting where a definite stand will be taken on the general interest of the senatorial district.
Senator Bob maintained that though he was earlier in the fore-front of the agitation by the people of Uyo senatorial district for an open contest for all governorship aspirants irrespective of senatorial district, he had to allow the wish of the party prevail for the sake of peace.
Mr. Bassey Albert Akpan, a former governorship aspirant from the senatorial district who spoke publicly for the first time since he dropped his ambition, said the decision to drop his ambition was unconnected to the decision of the National Working Committee to uphold a resolution of the state working committee of the party to zone the governorship to Eket Senatorial District.
His speech was intermittently disrupted by the obviously angry youths who threatened to boo him at the venue but for the defense of security officials. He however informed that he was not speaking for Uyo people but himself and his family.
Albert said he dropped his interest on the advice of President Goodluck Jonathan, even though he was offered the opportunity by APC, and Labour Party to contest on their platforms.
“There is no amount of pressure that will make me leave the PDP. I am what I am today courtesy of the PDP. I went the mile I went to in my quest for the position of governor because I believed that if the governorship should be zoned, it should be zoned to my federal constituency, which has never produced a governor.
“When I was told to drop my ambition, I accepted on the condition that it will be an Ibibio in Eket senatorial who will be the governor and I can say that that position will stand”.
When he was asked by the youths whether Udom Emmanuel was his preferred choice, he retorted angrily, “Leave Udom out of this, Udom is not Eket senatorial district”.
Though he didn’t provide further explanation to his remark that the people should “leave Udom”, Albert said if he could forfeit his ambition, it was necessary for the senatorial district to respect the position of the party.
On his part, Barr. Onofiok Luke who spoke on behalf of the youths pleaded with the people of Uyo senatorial district who are members of the PDP to support the governorship position as zoned to Eket by NWC of the Party.
Luke also noted that although he has obliged the plea of the party to support Eket, he will meet with youths of the senatorial district to discuss what their fate will be if Eket produces the next governor.
However, it was observed that Elders of the Party from the senatorial district didn’t attend the meeting as this reporter was confidentially informed that they (Elders) decided to stay out of the meeting to make their grievance known to the party.
The meeting didn’t end well. Police were seen dispensing tear gas into the air and youths as well as women were fighting indiscriminately among themselves.
Ohh!! I never thought that meeting can be disaster in such a way. Well we had planned a meeting at best meeting room of San Diego, and our meeting went well. Everyone discussed there freely about the projects and arrangements were really done well as per everyone one’s comfort ability.
ReplyDelete