ITU PDP to Deputy Chapter Chairman: You did not speak for us

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Itu Chapter has denounced its Deputy Chapter Chairman Hon. Bernard Okon Ekpenyong and his reported claim that he was speaking for the Party at a press conference last week where he reportedly described the Member Representing Itu/Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency in the National Assembly ‘as a total failure, a disappointment and a disgrace to Akwa Ibom’. 

A resolution of the Party following an emergency meeting, Friday, at Mbak Atai Itam, Itu on the issue stressed that “ the act where Hon. Bernard Okon Ekpenyong organised a press conference without any authorization and used the forum to advance a personal opinion as if it were the official position of the Party is not only a clear case of anti-party activity and a gross violation of the extant provisions of the Party’s constitution but a deliberate attempt to undermine the integrity, authority and powers of the Party”. 

The Party therefore directed Hon. Ekpenyong to ‘retract the malicious story, tender an unreserved apology to the Party and Dr. Henry Archibong within 72 hours and give the apology the same wide publicity in the media as the first publication, failure which shall attract appropriate disciplinary sanctions from the Party.’

The PDP, Itu Chapter, according to the resolution, also noted that ‘the entire content of the said news story is false, spiteful, contemptuous, baseless, misleading and intended to create disaffection in the Party and further selfish political goals’. Similarly, the Party denounced and disassociated itself from the story and enjoined the public to discountenance the report in its entirety.

The Party also stressed that it ‘is satisfied with the representation and performance of Dr. Henry Archibong as the Member, Representing Itu/Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency in the National Assembly’ and accordingly passed a vote of confidence on him.  The resolution further stressed that “the Peoples Democratic Party in Itu Local Government Area has a legitimate, strong, formidable, purposeful and well-coordinated structure. 

Therefore, all members of the Party irrespective of status should, at all times, respect the legitimate administrative structure of the Party and abide by the established processes and procedures through which the Party can take official position on any matter in line with the rules and principles governing the administration of the Party”. It also warned that “henceforth, any member of the Party who engages in any act meant to undermine the constitution of the party and the authority of the duly constituted leadership structure of the Party shall be promptly sanctioned in line with the relevant provisions of the Party’s Constitution”.