APC Akwa Ibom: Etiebet’s attempt to submit ‘fake’ list fails
Efforts by Obong Nsima Ekere-backed state Caucus of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Akwa Ibom state chapter, to approve the publication of fake lists of ward and chapter executives met stiff resistant on Saturday as its meeting ended abruptly, The Profilenews can authoritatively report.
Obong Ekere, Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, who is a member of the APC, has yet to formerly declare his intention to run for the 2019 governorship of the state.
Atuekong Don Etiebet, former Minister for Petroleum, was appointed few years ago as Chairman of the State Caucus of the APC. Etiebet’s appointment, it was learnt, had caused rift within the party in the state as some elders opposed his emergence on various grounds.
Our correspondent who monitored the State Caucus meeting held at the Amazing Grace e-Center, Obio Imoh Street, Uyo, reports that it was first since the conducts of Wards, Chapters and State Congresses held on May 5, 12 and 19, 2018, cross the state. State Congress of the party conducted on May 19, produced parallel state executives.
Also at the meeting was the Immediate-past Senate Minority Leader, His Excellency, Sen. (Dr) Godswill Akpabio, an erstwhile governor of the state, who defected recently into the party. Others were Obong Nsima Ekere, Obong Umana Okon Umana; MD, Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority, OGFZ, a former FCT Minister; Sen. John Udoedeghe, amongst others.
Our correspondent reports that problems started when Etiebet attempted to introduce the issue of Ward and chapter lists. It was learnt that Dr. Effiong Etok, a.k.a Charles Taylor, State Secretary of the Party, who addressed the meeting shortly after Sen. Akpabio had presented his speech, urged the Caucus Chairman to desist from revisiting, according to him, a matter that had already been decided by members and delegates during the last congress exercises.
Our correspondent reports that thunderous applause to Charles Taylor’s speech from members at the pew and interjections by the Caucus Chairman resulted in a rowdy session that forced the meeting to end abruptly. At the time the meeting ended, only three of the members of the head table to wit: Atuekong Etiebet, Sen. Godswill Akpabio and Dr. Effiong Etok (Charles Taylor), made their presentations while others including Obong Ekere, Umana Umana, John Udoedeghe and others could not address the gathering.
Expressing his displeasure at the development, an elder of the party in the state, Obong Anthony Udoekpo, blamed it on the Caucus Chairman’s poor handling of the session, opining that it was not a good omen for the party considering the closeness of 2019 general elections.
“Well, even though these things (arguments) are always part of politics, there is how you handle it and the outcome appears embarrassing as we have witnessed today. But I think that as the man (Etok) tried to point out, it would be wrong to begin to talk about releasing results of congresses that were conducted over three months ago.
“These congresses were observed by the INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) and they, including the security agents have their results. My candid advice is that they should thread with caution because as you can see, the 2019 election is just few months way”.
With TheProfilenews