Paul Ekpo harbours governorship ambition

BY UBONG INYANG

In the wake of series of mass exodus hitting the PDP in the state, the state chairman of the PDP Obong Paul Ekpo is rumored to be nursing an intention for hilltop mansion come 2023 as a means of completing the tenure of the late Akpan Isemin.

THE INK Newspaper exclusively gathered that the party chairman consulted former governor Godswill Akpabio during a function in Abuja, Penultimate Week, in presence of Udom Emmanuel about his ambition stating that he has the willpower and the potential to lead the state and that he is also capable of completing the tenure of Late Akpan Isemin which was botched by a military coup in 1993.  According to our source, the Etinan born politician told Senator Akpabio to look at him in the face if he doesn’t look competent and capable enough to complete the tenure of Obong Akpan Isemin.

However, Senator Akpabio charged Obong Paul Ekpo as well as all governorship hopefuls in the state to drop their ambitions until the present governor Udom Emmanuel completes his tenure in office before any other aspirant will be considered.

This development arose at a time when the party chairman whom to many, is yet to recover from his embarrassment at the hands of Udom’s security personnel’s when he went to see the governor at the government house recently and his intention to contest for the governorship position could be seen as way of correcting the wrongs which the governor has been accused of within the ranks of the party.

With the latest posturing of Paul Ekpo, this has increased the tally of those interested in 2023 governorship of Akwa Ibom State. For now, it is a known fact that the PDP has since zoned the 2023 governorship to Uyo Senatorial District and Paul Ekpo intends to capitalize on his knowledge of the party structure to emerge victorious. 

THE INK understands that Obong Paul Ekpo may want to remain the state party chairman at least for the next four years during which time he intends to consolidate on the party structure amidst the daunting challenges the party is facing in the state. It could be recalled that in 1999, it was expected that the governorship seat would be zoned to Etinan Federal Constituency in order to compensate Akpan Isemin but it never materialized rather it was zoned to Ibesikpo which saw the emergence of Obong Attah and this could be the right time for Etinan to have their own turn with Obong Paul Ekpo expexted to influence the zoning formula in his favour.

Another source also informed THE INK newspaper that Obong Paul Ekpo is not contesting for contesting sake but he is contesting to win because he knows and control the party structures and also thinks it is time the party rewards him for his loyalty and good works for the party.