- Says Oron, Ikot Abasi Should Hands Off
- Takes Struggle to Abuja
By Franklyn Isong
Even as 2015 is four years ahead, the debates on which geo-political zone to produce the next governorship position of Akwa Ibom State has continued gathering more momentum as some power brokers in Eket Federal Constituency in Akwa Ibom South (Eket senatorial district) have decided to take their agitations to the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for sympathy, Weekly Insight can authoritatively report.
Though, there were other political parties in the state, the PDP has been the only party that has held on to power in the state since 1999 and has a strong hold in the state because of it human and material resource which endeared Akwa Ibom people to the party.
Our checks show that the party which pride itself as the largest political party in Africa, though not firm with its policy on zoning, has practically enforced it through its grassroot supporters who normally form its delegates to a congress that would elect their flag-bearers at all levels. In most cases, the party leadership finds itself in a fix after taking a position on which zone a political office should be zoned to and this was not followed by the party’s delegates at the primaries.
The argument for the zoning formula for 2015 is almost tearing the Akwa Ibom state apart as the debate has even allegedly polarized the state executive council. Every action or inaction in the state now is interpreted politically with political meaning read into every move and every spoken word. Often times, groups are sponsored from within to neutralize whatever effect a statement or action would have on the opposing side’s aspiration for the 2015 governorship race.
Weekly Insight gathered that the major key players in the zoning discourse are people from the two geopolitical zones of Eket and Uyo since the present state governor, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, hails from Ikot Ekpene zone.
Eket senatorial district comprises of 12 Local Government Areas, the largest in the state with three Federal Constituencies of Eket, Ikot Abasi and Oron. The power shift gladiators in this zone cut across the three Federal constituencies of the zone. They are Mr. Nsima Udo Ekere, the state deputy governor who is from Ikot Abasi LGA of Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency; Senator Helen Udoakaha Esuene, Hon. Eseme Eyibo, while Esuene is from Eket LGA and represents the zone at the senate, Eyibo is from Esit Eket LGA and also represents Eket Federal Constituency at the Federal House of Representatives.
Others are Chief Asam Asam, current Akwa Ibom State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Eket LGA; Hon. Okpolupm Etteh, Akwa Ibom State of Assembly member representing Ibeno/Esit Eket state constituency, Ibeno LGA; Hon. Edueso Essien, immediate past minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Eket LGA; Dr. Samuel Ndede Udonsak, a private medical practitioner in Port Harcourt, Eket LGA; Bishop Samuel Akpan, state deputy chairman of PDP, ONNA LGA; Arc. Out Ita Toyo, chairman of Akwa Ibom Local Government Service Commission, Oron LGA and Barr Effiong Abia, Secretary of Finance and General Purpose Committee, FGPC, from Mbo. These are the men for now who are seriously contending for the governorship position come 2015.
This paper can report that the gladiators from Eket federal constituency comprising Eket, Esit Eket, ONNA and Ibeno are laying claim to the Hilltop Mansion in 2015 as they have taken the struggle to a front burner at the national level.
Early this year, a former national assembly member, Senator Etang Umoyo, came out publicly to declare that the position was solely for the Eket federal constituency, arguing that the area has never produced an elected State Chief Executive in the history of state.
Umoyo’s statement triggered heated discourse as no sooner had he made the comment than Oron Think Tank, a socio-political group in Oron nation, countered Umoyo with the argument that Oron has been marginalized in the tripod arrangement of the state. the body posited that for the purpose of equity and fairness, the area should be allowed to clinch the top seat in 2015. Their argument was predicated on the fact that when the governorship went to Ikot Ekpene, it was specifically reserved for the Annang Ethnic group. The Oro block insist that the same should hold sway and the governorship specifically zoned to the Oro ethnic nationality.
The debate we gather has now shifted to Abuja, and has added a new twist to the whole issue, as Weekly Insight gathered at the weekend that some top politicians from Eket including, the national assembly members from the axis have petitioned the presidency and the national secretariat of the PDP, demanding that the governorship of the state in 2015 be zoned to Eket federal constituency, specifically, since its lays the golden eggs (crude oil) that feeds the nation which, according to them, was the reason Akwa Ibom was included among the oil-producing states in the Niger Delta.
Our source, a senior citizen of Eket federal constituency who himself is a strong contender to the governorship seat in 2015 hinted that the petition was instigated on the grounds that the people of Eket has never been given a chance to produce an elected state governor for Akwa Ibom since the state was created in 1987. He said that why the argument of ethnic tripod does not hold water was because the Oron nation has produced the state deputy governor in the person of Chief Etim Okpoyo who deputized late Obong Akpan Isemin, thus dismissing the argument of the Oro nation of marginalization in the office of governor.
He further explained that the 2015 governorship of the state should be in Eket because Ikot Abasi Federal constituency has also produced the state deputy governor both in the persons of Engr. Patrick Ekpotu and Mr. Nsima Ekere for a two term of four years each while, Eket has had none.
Weekly Insight learnt that for an Eket man to emerge the governor, they have to sacrifice the senatorial seat to Oro nation and they (Eket power brokers) have reportedly said that the 2015 senatorial seat would move to Oro nation while they cling onto the governorship position for the sake of equity and fairness.
This paper learnt at the weekend that some power brokers in Eket have formed a contact and mobilization group that has began negotiations with other zones and ethnic groups in the state.
Our investigations further revealed that last weekend, the group took their campaign to Ikot Ekpene senatorial district where they reportedly met with some royal fathers, socio-political/ cultural groups amongst several other power brokers and individuals in the axis.
Weekly Insight gathered that top on their agenda was the issue of power shift to Eket federal constituency. Our source, a member of the contact team who claimed to be the spokesman of the group during their meetings at Ikot Ekpene, disclosed on anonymity, that the meeting ended with the royal fathers and power brokers in the area agreeing that 2015 governorship should be meant specifically for Eket Federal Constituency.
He said that the Annang power brokers have reasoned that the Oro people were too “slippery” to be relied upon as they (Oro people) “betrayed” them (Annang) in 2007 and 2011 general election which almost caused them (Annangs) loosing the governorship seat of the state to their brother Ibibios. Weekly Insight reliably gathered that an accord was reportedly reached between the Ekets and Annangs for the 2015 governorship of the state. The debate continues with each side digging deep into the race that promises to see a lot of drama and intrigues.
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