Akwa Ibom Politics: Crises rocks Nsit Ubium PDP

Akwa Ibom Politics: Crises rocks Nsit Ubium PDP

… As Bureau of Political Affairs Perm. Sect. mobilizes Kinsmen against Gov. Udom

BY SAMPSON ENYONGEKERE

If the information dropped on our newsdesk is anything to go by, then all is not well with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in NsitUbium Local Government Area, as some political strikers in NdiyaIkotUkap who claimed to be loyal to the PDP are allegedly working against the interest of the party ahead of 2019.

Our correspondent gathered reliably that the Permanent Secretary in the Bureau of Political, Legislative Affairs and Water Resources, Mr. NseEdem and his brother who is the immediate past political leader of NdiyaIkotUkap, Dr. EnefiokEdem, Apostle NdiannabasiItaIta, Prince Etuk and the Village Head of IkotUkap, EtteidungEkom Jonathan have reportedly reached what can be best described as a secret agreement to deliver the three Unites in the area to the national ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the fourth coming general elections in the State.

A close source to ObongUmanaOkonUmana strongly hinted our reporter on the strict condition of anonymity that the former Secretary to the AkwaIbom State Government who flew the flag of the APC as the governorship candidate in 2015 and currently the Managing Director of Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority is doing everything within his powers to ensure that he mobilizes strong PDP faithful to frustrate the Party come 2019, so that what happened in the just concluded Local Government elections in the State will not repeat itself again.

This development it was learnt led to a critical close door meeting with the above mentioned political players in IkotUkap, led by the Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Political, Legislative Affairs and Water Resources whom they seen as someone who could give useful information about what is happening in the PDP cabal towards delivering the area and the State in general to the APC.

This reporter gathered as at the time of filling this report that to carry out their unholy and dastardly plans, the aforementioned individuals have already started rugged fight to forcefully unseat Governor Udom Emmanuel’s core loyalist, Bishop Samuel Etuk whom they termed as an influential PDP Youth Leader of IkotUkap Community, believed to be a man with unusual political capacity to work for the interest and success of the PDP come 2019.

According to community sources who spoke in confidence with newsmen, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. NseEdem has allegedly promised the Village Head, EtteidungEkom Jonathan a token sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N250,000.00) only, to lure the Royal Father into joining the fight, this we learnt was to induce the monarch to reverse and withdraw the certificate of recognition earlier presented by him to Bishop Samuel Etuk two months ago, as the substantive Youth Leader who has done creditably well. 

This reporter also scooped that APC youths from the area were given N500 each by former political leader, Dr. NseEdemto protest and demand for the immediate removal of Bishop Etuk as youth leader to enable them have their way.

Bishop Etuk is presently the Board of Trustees Chairman of all the Village Youth Presidents in AkwaIbom State, and one who commands much influence in youths and grassroots mobilization in NsitUbium Local Government Area and the State at large.

Investigation has revealed that Bishop Samuel Etuk has mobilized church founders and faithful of the PDP recently, to seek the face of God and the event was used to endorse Governor Udom Emmanuel for second term, and Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Onofiok Luke for House of Reps in 2019, a situation which reportedly threw the APC family off balance hencethe plot to unseat the youth leader.

It was the brief of our correspondent that Edem’s family are aggrieved and have resolved to work for APC because the political leadership in the community has left them and they are doing everything possible to ensure that the new political leader fails in the forthcoming general elections.

Youths from the area who frowned against this ugly development told journalists that the village head,EtteidungEkom Jonathan has caused much confusion in IkotUkap community and got involved in some sharp practices in the community politics. They disclosed that during the just concluded selection of political leader, he (the village head) collected reasonable amount of money to support the aspirants, but finally dumbed Dr. EnefiokEdem who was the incumbent political leader and Mr. Imo Samuel Ubon and settled for Mr. Yuko Jonah whom they allegedwas the highest bidder for the political leadership position.

When contacted to balance the story, the Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Political, Legislative Affairs and Water Resources, Mr. NseEdemmerely dismissed the information as false.

He said the allegation of meeting withObongUmanaOkonUmana or the representative of the APC to frustrate the PDP was baseless, stating that “I am a supporter of Governor Udom Emmanuel in my body and in my soul”.

He posited that he has been contacted to take the youth leadership position, but he refused the offer given his civil service obligations, explaining that he had advised the community to allow Bishop Samuel Etuk to remain the youth leader until after the 2019 general elections considering his political clout and momentum.

Mr.Edem also described as a figment of the writer’s imagination, the speculation that he bribed the village head, vowing to fish out those who peddled lies against him.

Meanwhile, the Village Head of IkotUkap, Ete-IdungEkom Jonathan, while speaking with our correspondent on a phone interview, stated emphatically that the tenure of Bishop Samuel Etuk has expired since they operate on three years tenure for youth leadership.  The monarch opined that much pressure have been mounting on him from the youth for the past two years to make way for a new youth leader.

He said, owing to this development he decided to ensure that a new person emerge the youth leader of IkotUkap,stressing that Bishop Samuel Etuk has overstayed his tenure for several years as against the zoning arrangement in the community.

Etteidung Jonathan argued that he has not collected or promised to be given money by any of his subject or kinsman, but was following due process in changing and bringing in a new youth president in line with the demand of the village youths.

On his part, the embattled PDP Youth Leader, Bishop Samuel Etuk responding to the call that was put across to him, maintained he was ready to step down in 2019 after delivering Governor Udom Emmanuel for second term and Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Onofiok Luke for House of Representatives, in the fast-approaching political dispensation.

The Board of Trustees Chairman of all the village youth leaders in AkwaIbom State, explained that there has never been any constitution stipulating the tenure of a youth leader in IkotUkap.  He stressed that besides working to deliver Governor Udom Emmanuel in 2019, he is working assiduously to ensure that he fashions out a workable constitution to regulate, guide the operation of the village youths and stipulate the number of years one could serve as a youth leader, stating further that until then, he remain the substantive youth leader of IkotUkap Community.

He further explained that the village head recently presented to him a certificate of recognition alongside other people for excellent service delivery and therefore wonder why his tenure could be terminated while others who were so honoured are still serving. He frowned at the move to destabilize the party structure he builds over the years, explaining that he was a grand designed to frustrate the PDP in the 2019 general election.

However, the immediate past political leader, Dr. EnefiokEdem and his allies, Apostle NdiannabasiItaIta, and Prince Etuk could not be reached for comment as at press time. We shall update you with more facts as the saga unfold inour subsequent editions.