Eket Senatorial District is upset by the motley crowd of 26 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members up head to head for the Akwa Ibom governorship, which primary comes up on December 6.
The PDP wants zoning to be the key determinant of who occupies the seat. Some of the contenders argue against it, however.
Akwa Ibom has three Senatorial Districts – Uyo, Ikot Ekpene, and Eket.
In 1999, Victor Attah emerged Governor from Uyo. He was succeeded by Godswill Akpabio (Ikot Ekpene). The PDP has zoned the governorship to Eket in 2015.
“After a review of the decision of the enlarged state executive committee of Akwa Ibom State, the National Working Committee (NWC) has accepted and fully endorsed the decision to zone the Akwa Ibom State governorship position to Eket Senatorial Zone,” the PDP stated.
Threat from within
All contestants not from Eket are expected to withdraw from the race.
But members of the Uyo Federal Constituency Stakeholders’ Assembly of the PDP have rejected the decision and threatened to defect to another party, likely the All Progressives Congress (APC), if the PDP does not reverse itself.
The group said: “Our leaders, elders and major stakeholders within the PDP in the state should commence action immediately to disengage from the PDP. After all, there are sufficient and cogent reasons to say ‘to hell with the PDP.’”
Why not Eket?
A medical sociologist and security consultant, Ebongabasi Ekpe-Juda, is not pleased with the rumblings in the state PDP, because “two of the three zones have produced a governor each; meaning that only one is left to take a shot at the coveted position.
“One would have expected that other senatorial zones that have produced the CEO (chief executive officer) before would not bother to join the fray. Did I hear you say, that is, if they are sane people?
“However, for certain mindless, and I dare say, untaught, selfish and unpatriotic politicians, or do I say, non-peace loving politicians, who think ill of the unity and oneness of our state (Akwa Ibom), they are jostling for the same position which their zone has produced.”
Returning Okoko’s good gesture
Ekpe-Juda maintained that the right thing is for Eket to be allowed to produce the next governor, and Benjamin Okoko, one of the contenders, presented as the PDP candidate.
His reasons: “From the entire aspirants, one stands shoulder tall as a party man. He was one of the seven conveners that midwife the birth of the PDP in the state.
“He was one of the two people sent by the party at the national, as superintendent of the party, to conduct the first elective congress of the PDP in the state.”
He recalled that Okoko had the PDP ticket in his hand at the inception of the party in the state in 1998, and his “sacrifice won the election for the PDP against a formidable opponent, the defunct APP (All Peoples Party).
“When the chips were down and he was set to be coronated, the party elders, having realised the futility of their fight to defeat him, as their arsenal was too weak, resorted to begging him to step down and allow Uyo Senatorial Zone to complete its tenure truncated by the military.
“He humbled himself and showed uncanny respect to the elders and stepped down for Uyo Senatorial District, and by implication, for Victor Attah (since two of them were the only ones cleared to contest the primary) to emerge as the party’s flag bearer for the election, without any primary.
“That action spared the state a lot of nightmare.”
Ekpe-Juda said Okoko should be considered for the PDP’s ticket because of the sacrifices he has made for the PDP.
“Fortunately, we are talking about party politics here. What that means by implication is that, for now, until a new Nigerian Constitution comes on board, there is no independent candidacy in this race. Therefore the party must nominate you to stand for an election.
“So, of all the masquerading aspirants (some afternoon members of the PDP whose contribution to the party, meaningful or not, is not known to exist, or at best is spurious, nebulous, phantom, and imaginary), who do we think the party should support, since we are thinking of the supremacy of the party?
“Obviously, it has to be a party man, true and true! From the entire aspirant, one stands shoulder tall, as a party man – Benjamin Okoko.”
All the contestants
Secretary to the State Government, Udom Emmanuel; Presidential Adviser, Richard King; former Secretary to the State Government, Umana Umana; Attorney General and Justice Commissioner, Ekpenyong Ntekim.
Former Finance Commissioner, Bassey Albert; former Deputy Governor, Nsima Ekere; former Deputy Governor Patrick Ekpoutu; Senator Helen Esuene; state House of Assembly Leader, Okpolupm Etteh.
Former House Leader Jerome Isangedihi; former Rural Development Commissioner, Effiong Abia; former PDP National Publicity Secretary, Benjamin Okoko; Assam Assam; Ime Albert.
Peter Esuh; Nya Ebito; Asuquo Okpo; Michael Onofiok; Mike Sebastian; Samuel Udonsak; Effiong Usin; Sam Akpan; Larry Esin; Kufre Inyang; and Ita Udoh.
