* The position of Mua’zu, PDP NWC
The attempt to foist Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel on Akwa Ibom state by Chief Godswill Akpabio has thrown both men into a state of limbo as the move, THE INK learnt is getting more uncertain and difficult as days go by. Findings by the INK reveal that the move has continued to meet brick walls and obstacles from left, right band center. Things, have seemingly got to a head since a High Court sitting in Abuja gave an interim injunction restraining the NWC of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and INEC from flaunting or recognizing the result of the December 8 special congress to produce a candidate for the party as its standard bearer for the 2015 guber polls until January 5 when the case will come up for hearing.
The crux of the whole matter is that the deadline for the submission of names to INEC is December 25. It is believed in political circles that with the case adjourned to Jan. 5, the concerted effort by Akpabio and his cohorts to have their way has met a serious setback. Since the Court issued the order, Chief Godswill Akpabio is said to have got more desperate in his bid to quash the court order in a bid to get his wish.
THE INK gathered further that Gov. Akpabio has been meeting with top shots both in the political field and legal arena to prevail on them to help him salvage the situation that is threatening to frustrate his political influence. Unconfirmed reports also have it that he had gone to the premises of the lawyer that handled the case with huge sums of money to allegedly induce him to vacate the court order barring Udom Emmanuel from parading himself as the PDP governorship aspirant for Akwa Ibom state. Reports also has it that the Chief Judge of FCT fell for the sum of $2m dangled before him by Chief Akpabio.
Though, our paper was yet to confirm the veracity of the story but we can report authoritatively that His Excellency is doing everything to ensure he succeeds on his imposition agenda. We learnt late last night that the NWC were locked in a crucial meeting with some stakeholders to resolve the lingering crisis within the ranks of the party in the state; we were yet to get the full gist of the meeting before this paper went to bed. But, it is widely believed in many quarters that the party is seriously considering a consensus candidate ahead of the February polls from the pool of the 22 aggrieved aspirants who were shortchanged at the primaries.
Indications are emerging too that the party will have a forum that will have the governor, stakeholders of the party in Akwa Ibom state and the 22 aspirants to broker peace and come up with a popular candidate that will fly the party’s flag in next year’s much anticipated elections. The move, feelers say may not go down well with Gov. Akpobio who is jittery because of the certainty that Udom will not be considered for the consensus option.
This, observers say have sent shockwaves to the camp of the governor as he is said to be running from pillar to post to frustrate the planned forum. But, inside sources confided in our reporter that the NWC will go ahead with the said meeting irrespective of the governor’s position as they are out to save the party from total collapse in Akwa Ibom state by not fielding an unpopular candidate. Our reporter learnt from impeccable sources that the NWC has resolved to intervene in the uncertain political climate in the state due to the massive rejection of Mr. Udom Emmanuel as PDP’s standard bearer for Akwa Ibom state. We gathered further that desperation by Akpabio’s henchmen to navigate their way through their seemingly failed bid to install Mr. Udom Emmanuel on the state has reached alarming rates as they are said to be running helter skelter to make headway in their ill fated effort to do the bidding of their boss even as their attempt to have the court order vacated yesterday failed.
Those who confided in our reporter were of the view that from the body language of the governor and those involved in the case; it’s becoming glaring that Akpabio’s plan may have failed woefully if goings on in Abuja is anything to go by. Political analysts posit that Udom may be forced to defect to another party to fight his way to Government House as the tide is proving to be gathering against the former Director of Zenith Bank PLC. close sources say that the widely condemned primary election in the state have generated ripples in Abuja so much that the leadership of the party is left with no choice than to listen to the voice of the people and elders of the state who have frowned at the farce election that produced Udom as the state PDP candidate for the 2015 elections. From the way events are panning out, it is believed that two aspirants have emerged as favourites for the consensus option; though their names have been kept under wraps until the NWC concludes their meeting and come up with the final verdict in the next couple of days.
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