Strong indications has emerged that all is not well between the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, Obong Nsima Ekere and Obong Umana Okon Umana, Managing Director of Oil and Gas free Trade Zone over the non assurances from the NDDC boss that he will do a single term if elected as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2019.
Our reporter who has following the alleged showdown between the duo, gathered that ObongOkonUmana,and other bigwigs in the APC are gradually becoming frustrated over the non refusal of ObongNsima to convince party stakeholders on the one term agreement.
A source, close to the camp of Obong Nsima who spoke with our reporter over the weekend, alleged that Umana Okon Umana and his cabal have been seriously plotting the failure of NsimaEkere in 2019 because of their fear that Nsima may want to re-contest in 2023 which is expected to be the turn of Uyo Senatorial District to produce the Governor.
According to our impeccable source who pleaded anonymity, Nsima Ekere Governorship ambition is gradually losing the much desired attractiveness owing to his refusal to come public on how long he will stay in office, since Governor Udom Emmanuel has already completed one of the two terms allocated to Eket Senatorial District.
According to our source; “We are not getting the assurances that we in the camp of ObongNsimaEkere should get from OkonUmana. For instance, his key men have left and are still leaving the party. The elections are approaching and we are yet to see UOU declare his full support to Nsima. We are not kids in this business, his body language is so clear, party members and hierarchies are watching the continuous silence of ObongUmana, his key men and their palpable insincerity to the Change Agenda.
Our source further accused Nsima Ekere of sidelining Umana Umana’s men in the running of NDDC. According to the source, the Ikot Abasi Local Government Area born politician has abandoned people from Umana’s camp in daily business at NDDC.
“We will not support him because, we are not in his plans in the NDDC, we only UOU, those in NDDC can make him Governor in 2019. We are waiting for the turn of Uyo Senatorial District”.
Our source also confirmed to THE INK that the rejection of Nsima’s ambition by Umana Umana and his men is also due to the interest of Uyo Senatorial for the same seat in 2023 which Umana Okon Umana is believed to be eyeing in 2023.
Another top source also confirmed that the duo of Umana Okon Umana and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, (Senate) Barr. Ita Enang have concluded secret plans to opt for a Governorship aspirant from Oro Nation to challenge Ekere in the party primaries later this year.
The source also said that Barr. Asuquo Okpo has emerged as the favourite aspirant to get the blessings of the two party chieftains to challenge ObongNsimaEkere for the party ticket.
The top party source opined that it will be easy to get the position from Barr. Okpo than retrieve it from Nsima Ekere whom the source said have made so much money as NDDC boss to buy himself a second term ticket in 2023.
Meanwhile, party elders from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District have also promised to reject Nsima Ekere’s dream of governing Akwa Ibom State in 2019. This decision they say is informed by the fact that Ekere’s desperation for a second will deny their senatorial district of an opportunity to produce a governor after the turn of Uyo Senatorial District.
When contacted for comments, Nsima Ekere’s new spokesman, Udo Silas said that he has not been made official spokesman of the the NDDC boss and as a result of that urged our reporter to contact Nsima Ekere directly while efforts to reach Iboro Otongaran, the spokesman for Obong Okon Umana was unsuccessful.
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